on his own design

Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works Architecture in an interview regarding his experience on the recently completed Clyfford Still Museum, and a reflection on his past work.

Q: It sounds like you have a very specific idea of the kind of work you want Allied to accomplish. But what is that exactly? 

A: Clyfford Still Museum  is a kind of summary of the past decade to me. It has a lot of the ideas that we are now pursuing in other projects but not necessarily in the form or level of sophistication -- it's only a $15 million building. It's a modest building in many ways. It was an end piece and therefore the beginning piece for the next period for us...______________________________________________________

Q: What project you've done has offered the most satisfaction? A: As of right now, Clyfford Still Museum, no question. Q: Because it's a distillation of ideas you've been working on during the past decade? A: Yes, as a benchmark. For me, it's the most complete piece of architecture we've done. And again, it has modest aspirations. It's a simple building with a powerful presence. Our buildings are like that. Our buildings are quiet but the resonance you feel is bigger than a small building. 

still museum west elevation [photo by jeremy bitterman]

*UPDATE: here is a great video interview of Brad Cloepfil on the Archdaily Vimeo blog, speaking about his thoughts on good Architecture and the importance of experiencing place.

AD Interviews: Brad Cloepfil, Allied Works from ArchDaily on Vimeo.

If you haven't seen it go check out the absolutely brilliant paintings and new museum, open late on Fridays until 8pm--but we would highly recommend a visit during daylight hours.