De Young Museum - by Herzog and Meuron

The art museum includes a basement gallery for special exhibits; two floors of permanent exhibits; and a 144 foot high tower with an observation deck. The tower twists as it rises so at the top it parallels the north-south streets of San Francisco.

The architects have focused on sensations, not forms. They wanted to created architecture that touches all your senses in an overall experience-- and this approach has made the new de Young Art Museum quite memorable. Visitors are able to choose their own path through the art exhibits, rather than follow a pre-set route. The Oceanics gallery is particularly dramatic with a 9,500 square foot space where a ceiling pulls up like a shallow tent. It feels like an exotic treasure chest. The paving stones of the floors were quarried in in Italy with a syncopated pattern. The facades are covered with a copper layer that will become green over time, from the current rusty tones. I can not wait.