Renovation of Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum

Assignment

Think of a WANTED poster from the XIX century. Think of all old posters, newsstands, and newspaper headlines. Every printed letter there had a unique character, shape, and texture. Most of them were made with the use of Wood Type, a rectangular piece of wood with a letter carved into it by hand. A hundred years later, Wood Type is a piece of printing history and is in search of a new identity in a digital age.

Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum houses a collection of over 1.5 million pieces of Wood Type in more than 1000 styles, old printing presses, and vintage prints. The history in the museum is not frozen in time, but very dynamic and alive. There is an art community that studies Wood Type and learns how to make and use it in new, creative ways.

The historic Hamilton Manufacturing Corporation building is set for demolition, forcing the museum to move to a new location. The new building lacks the history and identity of the old one. It was our assignment to change that, to transform the new building into a worthy home for the community and artifacts.

The facade needed to make an impact on the visitors coming from across the US and the world.

Design

I found inspiration in Ningbo Museum. The Architect, Wang Shu, salvaged historic fabric from the nearby demolition sites to give it a new life and shape in his building. It is a compelling example of rebirth in architecture, a rebirth that Hamilton Museum is going through today.

The original building was not yet demolished (at the moment of making this project), giving the opportunity for careful salvage of the material – brick, glass, and wood. These materials would be used both in the construction of the new building and in the organization of the exhibit spaces inside.

The canopy is built out of salvaged wood that is etched and carved so it could cast shadows of letters on the building facade. Glass bricks are made of re-melted glass and inserted into the brick walls, making them imperfect and unique.

The facade’s forms and proportions are inspired by type. The historic fabric will take new shapes and new modern identity while staying intimately connected to the past. The one artifact that will be rebuilt is the smokestack, which will continue to serve as an icon and unofficial symbol of the city of Two Rivers.

Diagrams

Museum Spaces

Education Spaces

Community Spaces

Plans

Process

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