BARRIER
Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale, Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Constructed from a vinyl-coated polyester mesh normally used on construction sites and ski runs, Barrier forms a temporary urban drape for the Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale during a one-year expansion project. The soft undulating surface redefines the Museum’s entry sequence, acts as a identifying element at the street, and protects the public from the adjacent construction work areas on this downtown site.The open mesh veils a rigid, plywood wall surface behind while maintaining the partitions de-mountable barrier function. The curtain itself is modular, built in four-foot sections to allow the 4’x8’ sheets of plywood to be removed for the access of heavy equipment during construction. The curtain acts as a pliable lining that weaves around the museum perimeter, drawing the public to the museum entry, where the drape creates an interior intimacy in what becomes an exterior lobby space. Rice lead an adhoc installation team that included museum staff, passersby, and an FBI agent.
