HOK’s Salvador Dali Museum Opens in Florida

by Deborah Wilk | Monday, January 10, 2011 | 11 Comments

Dali Museum HOK

The thought of hurricane-force winds is hardly the first thing that comes to mind when gazing upon a freshly minted museum—even one dedicated to the Surreal. But extreme weather was a key consideration for trustees of the Salvador Dali Museum of St. Petersburg, Florida, where storm warnings previously meant the actual removal of the entire collection from the site to a secure location. Fortunately, the appointment of HOK to more than double the Dali’s facility to 67,000 square feet also meant acquiring the structural expertise of firm design director Yann Weymouth, who worked alongside I.M. Pei to create the glass pyramid at Paris’s Musee du Louvre.

After meeting Buckminster Fuller as a student, Weymouth is something of a disciple, acknowledging the iconic designer’s influence on his skylights for the National Gallery’s East Wing, the transparent structure of London’s Fleet Place House, as well as the Louvre construction.

For the Dali, more than 1,000 triangular-shape glass panels were used to create two different biomorphic forms that melt into the 18-inch-think sides of the reinforced concrete building, built to withstand 165-mile-per-hour Category 5 storm winds. According to Weymouth, both Enigma and Igloo, as the forms are called, push the envelope of Fuller’s investigations into three-dimension triangulating geometries. They were also tested to resist the impact of a Category 3 135-mile-per-hour storm surge.

Dali Museum HOK

Inside, a concrete spiral staircase reaches nearly the full height of the 75-foot-high atrium, bringing visitors to the exhibition space, reserved for the permanent collection of some 2,100 objects, including 96 major paintings in oil. In addition to the reception center, the first level features a 90-seat theater, 150-seat community hall, a café with indoor and outdoor seating, and a museum shop. Doors are set to open to the public January 11.

Dali Museum HOK

All images by Morris Moreno; courtesy of HOK.

Industry > A&D Firms
Projects > Government/Institution

11 comments

Pedro

Posted Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 10:45 am | Permalink

I found this building a quite good one and all my best wishes for this museum.
Ron Thibodeau

Posted Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 04:47 pm | Permalink

The architect has tried to capture the spirit of the works of art on display. In so doing, has come very close to upstaging the artist. The intersection of the convoluted glazing and the cast concrete is entertaining, As is the articulation of the stairs in the atrium.
Kathy Lassen-Hahne

Posted Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 05:35 pm | Permalink

As an employee of the Dali Museum when it first opened in Beachwood, Ohio, I look forward to seeing this beautiful building and wish all the best to the Morses.
Carol O'Bryon ASID

Posted Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 05:49 pm | Permalink

This museum is a must-see if you are on the west coast of Florida. Not only is the collecction of Dali’s art fantastic, the building is very impressive inside and the views are wonderful. But the attention to detail with the landscaping is a real highlight. My congratualtions to the landscape design team of Phillip Graham.
1. Phil Graham
  
  Posted Monday, January 17, 2011 at 11:24 am | Permalink
  
  Thanks for the kind words.
Greg Smith

Posted Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 07:15 pm | Permalink

Thought you would like to see this Dali museum that just opened.
Greg Smith

Posted Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 07:16 pm | Permalink

couldn’t tell if the first one went
Anton Brzezinski

Posted Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 11:51 pm | Permalink

I loved it but barely made it through without resting the last time I visited. I don’t know how I’m going to climb all those stairs! Beautiful beautiful design though.
Abbas Niknam

Posted Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 03:59 am | Permalink

it’s very beautiful and very wonderful.i am an Architect Engineer and i enjoyed from this work.
saveena shakya

Posted Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 10:05 am | Permalink

its very beautiful. its a brilliant
Nathalie

Posted Friday, February 11, 2011 at 07:30 am | Permalink

This news about HOK is incredable! what an incredable building! I’m sure that they will like to know this brand – Boca do Lobo
FRANK | CONSIDERED 2011 TREND PIECE BY NELLY RODI TREND LAB
Frank is one of the newest works of Boca do Lobo and it was chosen to be part of the small selection group of pieces that represent the trends in the home market, at Maison & Object 2010. Vicent Grégoire defines his trends based on dashing, eccentric pieces. For him, luxury and crazy are the key words. Frank is the perfect mix between a classic memoire and a madly modern twist. It is a sculptural piece of work, much more than a simple piece of furniture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8sARjXy60E