Institute of Contemporary Art, ICA

The new Boston ICA is located on the harbour at Fan Pier in south Boston. The building design negotiates between two competing objectives: to perform as a dynamic civic building filled with public and social activities, and as a controlled, contemplative atmosphere for individuals interacting with contemporary art. The Boston Harbour-walk borders the north and west edges of the ICA site. This surface is metaphorically extended into the new building as a pliable wrapper that defines the building’s major public spaces. It folds up from the walkway into a "grandstand" facing the water, it continues through the skin of the building to form a stage, then turns up to form the theatre seating, then seamlessly envelopes the theatre space, ultimately, slipping out through the skin to produce the ceiling of the exterior public "room." Above the wrapper sits the "gallery box": a large exhibition space on one level that dramatically cantilevers over the Harborwalk toward the water.