The Boston Globe

Arts

Boston.com

Special Section: the Gardner Grows

Mystery achievement

By changing with the times, will the Gardner lose some of its poetry?

By Sebastian Smee

 |  Globe Staff  

  January 15, 2012

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum has addressed a series of practical problems with a modern, welcoming new wing, ingeniously designed by one of the leading architectural firms of our time, the Renzo Piano Building Workshop. It’s impossible not to notice the architects’ sensitivity to light, and in particular their embrace of an ideal of transparency. There’s no avoiding the fact, however, that the whole project has been controversial, and that some people believe the new building runs the risk of compromising the spirit of the museum. It’s worth thinking about why.

Stay with the story. Get full access to BostonGlobe.com for just 99¢

Unlimited access to BostonGlobe.com for only 99¢ for the first 4 weeks. You can cancel at any time.

  • The FULL story all day: Enjoy all of the high-quality, in-depth journalism in the print edition of the Boston Globe — plus breaking news that's updated 24/7.
  • A truly reader-friendly format: It's online news that looks and reads just like the newspaper — uncluttered, uninterrupted.
  • Breakthrough technology: The responsive design automatically adapts content so it always reads perfectly on the digital device of your choice.
Get started today

Free access for home delivery subscribers.

Just need to link your home delivery account; one easy step.

Link my home delivery account

BostonGlobe.comSubscriber Log In

Contact us for help