Ito's Concept Design for his Upcoming American Debut

The Berkeley Art Museum / Pacific Film Archive (BAM/PFA) needed a new home as it was discovered their previous location was seismically inadequate. After a review of 141 international architects, Japan´s Toyo Ito was chosen to design the new museum, scheduled to open in 2013.

The conceptual design evolves from a grid of interlocking spaces with flowing walls to create various exhibition galleries. A “fluid steel exterior“ follows the weaving grid within with towering windows to create large interior viewing spaces. The final design is scheduled for completion by 2009.

The program includes 2 theatres, over 20 exhibition galleries, a museum store, café, screening room, study center, learning center, and library.  A largely transparent ground-floor façade invites exploration of the museum within and eases the transition from the UC Berkeley campus to the city’s art district.

The BAM/PFA collection was founded in 1963 and includes the largest group of Japanese films outside of Japan, along with American folk art, mid-20th century conceptual and contemporary international art, international classics, and a large amount of Californian and San Francisco based art. The projected cost of the new museum is $145 million for construction to be funded primarily by private sources. more about Toyo Ito`s concept