Twelve gingko leaf-like structures now tower over the courtyard just outside the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin campus. A part of a comprehensive 200,000-sf grounds redesign led by architecture firm Snøhetta, these perforated metal sculptures are as functional as they are performative. In addition to the dappled shade offered by their 30-foot spans, the 40-foot-tall structures function as a mini stormwater management system, moving water from the upper canopy through the column down to grade and providing passive irrigation into the surrounding subgrade. As reported in the New York Times, “the fiberglass stems conduct heat down to the ground, rather than radiating it as steel would.”
Much of the project was driven by the Blanton leadership’s desire to create a more prominent entrance to the museum. This architectural bouquet is the defining feature of a new public gathering space, officially known as the Moody Patio, that unifies the Blanton grounds, including its two buildings and Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin. At an urban level, the project connects the State Capitol to the south and the historic university campus to the north.
Newly inserted yellow arched vaults highlight the gallery entrances and are a playful reinterpretation of the Mediterranean-inspired arches found along the loggias of the Blanton’s two primary buildings. Artist Carmen Herrera’s vibrant green mural entitled Verde, que te quiero verde further defines this exterior space. The redesign also adds more than 25,000 new plants, maintaining existing vegetation wherever possible.
Notably, the project was led by University of Texas at Austin alum Craig Dykers, FAIA. Elaine Molinar, AIA, another graduate of UT School of Architecture, was also involved with the design. “The Blanton holds a prominent place at the intersection of the new Texas Capitol Complex, and it also serves as the gateway to the university campus. Our inventive landscape and reimagined building entrances fulfill that promise,” says Dykers. “Snøhetta’s design expands the museum’s world-class art collection beyond the museum’s galleries and creates a highly visible public place of–and for–the arts in Austin.”