BAKER MUSEUM

Naples, FL

Like many of my past sketch subjects, this building was born from a catastrophe – the 2017 Hurricane Irma. The original 2000 museum was designed by Boston-based architect William Rawn, but this repair/expansion was done by New York architects Weiss/Manfredi, known for their museum work. Interestingly, this view is the back of the museum, but it markedly out-states the front face of the building in boldness and clarity. Of the post-modern style, the building’s architecture is reminiscent of work by the Miami firm of Arquitectonica, known for punching large holes through their structures. To render this addition hurricane-proof, Weiss/Manfredi used large slabs of Trosselfel limestone from Gernamy, ribbed metal panels and impact-resistant glass.

Not knowing the architecture of Naples, I searched Google to find this one. After wandering around the grounds, the jewel was hidden in the back of the site. There was no decent view from which to sketch, so I “borrowed” a fourth-floor conference room in the law offices across the street, for the perfect view. The limestone mass with the punched window is an eye-catching statement, maybe a bit contrived, but nicely integrated into the galleries, classrooms and terraces behind it. If we can’t have fun, why go?