2022
MCHAP
Oakland Museum of California
Hood Design Studio
Oakland, California, United States
March 1, 2021
AUTOR PRINCIPAL
Walter Hood (Creative Director), Paul Peters ()
AUTOR CONTRIBUYENTE
CLIENTE
Oakland Museum of California
FOTÓGRAFO
Caitlin Atkinson
OBJETIVO
The renovation of the Oakland Museum of California gardens exemplifies the artful redesign of public spaces, focusing on inclusivity, functionality, and local cultural reflection. The renovation “broke the box” of the museum and created a new public garden for the city. At the corner of Lake Merritt two sets of concrete walls were removed and a series of openings in the existing wall were created inviting people from the city into the museum’s gardens. In turn a new porch and grand stairs extends out as a welcome gesture to Lake Merritt. The renovation embodies the museum’s mission to create a free public space that enhances the interaction between the museum and the city.
Transformed into Oakland's new "living room", the gardens offer a vibrant communal gathering space. The gardens feature a performance lawn, an equipped stage with AV armature, and theatrical lighting, providing versatile facilities for a range of performances and events, from grand spectacles to daily activities like library readings or lunchtime concerts. The museum gardens were renovated to create an ecological experience of California right in the backyard of Oakland. New plantings based on the main ecoregions of California – Mediterranean, high desert, coastal scrub, woodland and coastal forest – each pair with an interior gallery of the museum, enhancing the visitor experience as one moves freely from the interior galleries to the exterior living collection.
The renovation of the Oakland Museum of California gardens exemplifies the artful redesign of public spaces, focusing on inclusivity, functionality, and local cultural reflection. The renovation “broke the box” of the museum and created a new public garden for the city. At the corner of Lake Merritt two sets of concrete walls were removed and a series of openings in the existing wall were created inviting people from the city into the museum’s gardens. In turn a new porch and grand stairs extends out as a welcome gesture to Lake Merritt. The renovation embodies the museum’s mission to create a free public space that enhances the interaction between the museum and the city.
Transformed into Oakland's new "living room", the gardens offer a vibrant communal gathering space. The gardens feature a performance lawn, an equipped stage with AV armature, and theatrical lighting, providing versatile facilities for a range of performances and events, from grand spectacles to daily activities like library readings or lunchtime concerts. The museum gardens were renovated to create an ecological experience of California right in the backyard of Oakland. New plantings based on the main ecoregions of California – Mediterranean, high desert, coastal scrub, woodland and coastal forest – each pair with an interior gallery of the museum, enhancing the visitor experience as one moves freely from the interior galleries to the exterior living collection.
CONTEXTO
The Oakland Museum of California, originally designed by architect Kevin Roche and landscape architect Dan Kiley, opened in 1969. The brutalist building features a set of gardens cascading over the terracing building, allowing visitors to freely move from the experience or art, culture and history in the museum’s galleries to the exterior gardens. This experience of museum and gardens was originally intended to stretch further and include open public access to the gardens from the city. However, due to fear among civic leaders in the 60’s the museum was walled off blocking the museum from the city. The renovation to the museum sought to redefine the museum’s relationship with the city. Asking key questions - How could the museum become part of the daily life of Oakland and in turn enhancing people’s lives in Oakland?
One of the museum’s best attributes is its location along the edge of Lake Merritt. The “lake” - in fact an estuary connecting to the San Francisco Bay – is one of Oakland’s beloved open spaces and often considered the heart of Oakland. For fifty years, the museum sat on the lake with its back turned to the city. Its gardens further shrouding itself from the city. Kiley original conceived the gardens to be a set of cascading plantings – akin to Babylon – flowing over the brutalist museum’s wall. The gardens suffered a series of setbacks and alterations over the years due to severe weather events and changing attitudes of its resident gardeners. As a result many of the trees were in poor health and the planting design lacked a cohesive vision.
ACTUACIÓN
The Oakland Museum of California's public programming has transformed its gardens into a vibrant communal space, earning the title of Oakland's new "living room." This dynamic outdoor venue is equipped with a performance lawn, a stage featuring an AV armature, and theatrical lighting, creating an adaptable environment for a wide array of performances and events. The versatility of these facilities caters to both grand gatherings and everyday activities, such as library readings and lunchtime concerts, making it an inclusive space for the entire community.
A standout among their programming is the immensely popular "Friday Nights at OMCA," a recurring free event that draws in an impressive 62,000 visitors annually. This event has become a staple, offering live performances, an assortment of food trucks, and engaging hands-on activities for families. The success of Friday Nights at OMCA reflects the museum's commitment to providing accessible and enjoyable experiences for the public.
What sets the Oakland Museum apart is the seamless integration of event logistics into the garden's design, ensuring complete accessibility both on and off the stage during events. This thoughtful and functional design not only streamlines operations but also enhances user experiences, demonstrating the museum's dedication to creating a welcoming and engaging space for the diverse Oakland community. The museum gardens truly stand as a testament to the power of purposeful design in fostering a sense of community and shared enjoyment.
