Dome

Looking down on roof of museum slowing organic form and "slot" courtyard (south side); The new building replaces a 1895-1921 structure damaged in a 1989 earthquake. Herzog & de Meuron were primary designers; local architects, Fong & Chan Architects, San Francisco. Located in Golden Gate Park; ribbons of windows erase the boundary between the museum interior and the lush natural environment outside, and four public entrances segue naturally from the park’s pathways. The building’s dramatic copper facade is perforated and textured to replicate the impression made by light filtering through a tree canopy. The copper will acquire a patina over time, further blending with the surroundings. The northeast corner of the building features a 144-foot observation tower, which recalls a tower on the original building. Historic elements from the former de Young, such as the sphinxes, the original palm trees, and the Pool of Enchantment, have been retained or reconstructed at the new museum. Source: de Young Museum [website]; http://deyoung.famsf.org/ (accessed 8/6/2015)