freelandbuck's over view replicates historic glass ceiling with illusionistic textile linework

freelandbuck introduces a permanent site-specific ceiling installation entitled ‘over view’ to the ​children’s museum of pittsburgh. the project occupies museumlab, the building’s​ expansion into the former carnegie free library of allegheny, and was commissioned as part of the historic structure’s restoration. ‘over view’ by freelandbuck is realized as a three-dimensional drawing of the original state of the site it occupies: the central lobby of the former carnegie library space.

image by eric staudenmaier

freelandbuck’s ‘over view’ is fabricated of printed and cut textile suspended over an aluminum frame. the 34 by 38 foot installation at museumlab depicts a leaded glass ceiling that once enclosed the historic room of the current children’s museum of pittsburgh before it was removed during a previous building renovation in the 1970s. brennan buck, partner at freelandbuck comments: ‘the intricacy of the original ceiling allowed us to create a dense cloud of lines overhead while clearly evoking the ornamental style of the original building.’

image by eric staudenmaier

with ​’over view’, freelandbuck makes use of the illusionary depth of perspective to generate space beyond the existing architecture. when standing at the center of the room, visitors view the intricate patterning of the original ceiling projecting upward. from other points of view the installation becomes an abstract pattern of lines projecting down toward the floor. partner david freeland elaborates: ‘museumlab is designed for older children, and the project presents them with a visual puzzle to solve, one that they can control and manipulate as their viewpoint changes when they move through the room.’

image by eric staudenmaier

image courtesy of children’s museum of pittsburgh

image by eric staudenmaier

image by eric staudenmaier

image courtesy of children’s museum of pittsburgh

image courtesy of children’s museum of pittsburgh

image courtesy of children’s museum of pittsburgh

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project info:

project title: over view

designer: freelandbuck

location:museumlab, children’s museum of pittsburgh

photography: children’s museum of pittsburgh, eric staudenmaier