As we were examining natural history and science museums last week, one of the major themes we discussed was the architectural “grandeur” of the actual buildings. While the collections within are important, the buildings themselves also make a statement. This fall, the California Academy of Sciences will celebrate its brand new building. The building is stunning and itself is one of the greenest buildings in San Francisco. The link above takes you to the Academy’s website and you can see slideshows of the new facility.
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I think this is an example of a building that while grandiose, is also highly functional and representative of the Academy of Science's aspirations. By building a structure that aligns with sustainable practices this group is hinting at their environmentally-rooted focus for the future. Its aesthetics and prominence only force people to pay attention to what the Academy is trying to achieve and how they plan to educate people. As with museums, the outside of the building is often just as aesthetically capturing as the work inside, and in the case of the Academy of Sciences the outside of the building may prove to be just as powerful as the research and collections inside. In this respect, the outside of this building might ideally function as a museum in the sense that it is encouraging intellectual curiosity and commitment.
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