At the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York, visitors come face to face, via glass vitrine, with one of the largest ceramics collections in the world. A recent renovation to the 55-year-old building helmed by Los Angeles–based MILLIØNS enlivens the museum experience with a new cafe and revamped East Wing.
The renowned art institution was designed by I. M. Pei. Its Brutalist exterior from 1968 mimics its interior: The art clings onto to concrete walls and the gallery spaces are cavernous, relying on lightwells and skylights to pour in natural light, much like Pei’s other design on nearby University Hill.
MILLIØNS was awarded the commission in 2019 through a two-stage, international architectural competition organized by Syracuse University School of Architecture dean Micheal Speaks and associate dean Kyle Miller. At the center of the renovation are a series of two-story glass towers that house newly acquired ceramics from collector Louise Rosenfield. The glass towers are sandwiched between concrete columns.
Rosenfield handed over her collection of 3,000 plus bowls, plates, and vases to the museum with one contingency that goes against traditional museum policy: Rather than displaying the objects, Rosenfield wanted them to actually be used by visitors in the eponymous cafe, Louise.
Reenvisioning the Everson’s East Wing
On the pastel tables at Louise, the mismatched pottery and housewares recall a playful tea party furnished with Rosenfield’s functional collection. The furniture is the result of a collaboration with Jonathan Olivares of Knoll; its flexibility accommodates both individual diners and larger groups.
The space was located on the backside of the glass towers, turning the dining venue into a gallery space. The choice to use glass was made so as not to shut off the spaces from natural light sources, and minimize reliance on artificial lighting.
MILLIØNS has built on Pei’s original design intent to contrast dark and light throughout. Brightness gleans through the towers and transparent curtains used to divide interior spaces.
Prior to the renovation, the upper level of the double-height atrium, Mather Court, where the glass towers were installed, was accessible to the public, while the lower level was for staff only. These spaces have now been optimized for public use. The lower floor can host events and stage exhibitions alongside a new research library and revamped administrative offices.
Rosenfield’s collection forms a backdrop in the newly renovated spaces. Hung display cases house dozens of the ceramics, while others serve decorative uses on the cafe tables and in the conference room.
Paying Homage to Pei
This latest renovation extended beyond Everson’s East Wing to the exterior of the 1968 building, which required extensive maintenance, waterproofing, and preservation. A deep clean to the facade of the boxy concrete volumes brought the pink hue of the exterior back on view. Attention was also paid to the paved plaza wrapping around the reflection pool at the museum’s rear. MILLIØNS referred to historical documentation to match the original aggregate of the paving stone.
The cafe seating was extended outside. New planters were installed atop a concrete volume. Their pink hue draws from the pigment found on the building’s concrete exterior. The flipped pyramidal shape of the planters recalls the sharp, linear geometric forms of Pei’s design.
The Everson said Pei’s design “…tells us we should look at buildings and art from a different perspective. It asks us to explore and question what we think art, or sculpture, or spaces, or buildings should be.”
With Louise, and the gift of the Rosenfield collection, the Everson has once again made us reconsider our preconceived notions about art and space.
