Re: “A bigger canvas: West Coast design firm chosen to lead Portland Museum of Art expansion” (Jan. 7, Page A1):

A rendering shows a window-filled front, matching the height of the Payson Building facing Congress Square. Renderings by Lever Architecture, courtesy of Portland Museum of Art and Dovetail Design Strategists

The existing Portland Museum of Art exterior designed by Henry Cobb is simply beautiful.

Soon after the Cobb design opened, the Architectural Record (the publication for architecture in the U.S.) published an extensive article noting and praising the clerestory design on the roof, along with the facade integration to its surroundings.

The selection to go with the Lever design addition will compromise the Cobb facade and wipe out gallery spaces on the first and second floors with a massive entry hole. Why? To create ingress for an entrance to the High Street side, in which cars race past at up to 50 mph when there is a green light.

If they made the entrance on the Free Street side, to the left of the Cobb building, there could be as much or more room for special events, and thus saving existing interior space and the design integrity of the facade.

For First Friday, this end of Free Street could be closed after business hours during the summer. The Lever design is good but could be better with alterations, which they will have to do. All great architecture is done this way up until soon before the build starts.

“Stop the hole.”

Coleman Harmon
Saco