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NEW YORK
BEYER BLINDER BELLE ARCHITECTS & PLANNERS
EVEN IN A CITY chock-full of world-class cultural institutions, the Morgan Library & Museum stands out as an encyclopedic repository of art and artifacts. Its core holdings were amassed by financier John Pierpont Morgan, who collected so many manuscripts, old master drawings, and early printed books that in 1902, construction began on a private library designed by Charles Folien McKim of McKim, Mead & White. In 1924, Morgan's son turned the collection into a public museum that has expanded steadily over the decades, with several additions to accommodate the ever-growing holdings.
The Morgan's quiet evolution got noisy in 2006, with the unveiling of a 75,000-square-foot expansion designed by Renzo Piano, in collaboration with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners (BBB). Three new pavilions rendered in steel and glass integrate the Morgan's three existing landmark buildings. But as the applause died down, the museum eyed McKim's Italianate marble palazzo: "Mr. Morgan's Library" had not benefited from a full interior restoration in its 100-year existence.
Construction began in June after two years of meticulous planning) on the rotunda, library, study, and librarian's office. The project included a new lighting strategy; restoration of period furniture, fixtures, applied ornamentation, and murals; new casework for revolving exhibitions; and electrical and mechanical upgrades.
BBB helped determine the scope of work and the process for implementation. The firm's oversight and design role were key to getting the project reviewed by the city's Landmarks Preservation...