TOD
WILLIAMS TSI EN
BI LLIE
STATEMENTFROMTODWILLIAMSANDBILLIETSIEN INRESPONSETOTHEAMERICANFOLKARTMUSEUMBUILDINGDECISIONBYMoMA January8,2014 WehavelearnedofMoMAsfinaldecisiontorazetheformerAmericanFolkArt Museumbuildingandreplaceitwithanewstructure.Thisactionrepresentsamissed opportunitytofindnewlifeandpurposeforabuildingthatismeaningfultosomany. TheFolkArtbuildingwasdesignedtorespondtothefabricoftheneighborhoodand createabuildingthatfeltbothappropriateandyetalsoextraordinary.Demolishingthis humanscaled,uniquelycraftedbuildingisalosstothecityofNewYorkintermsof respectingthesize,diversityandtextureofbuildingsinamidtownneighborhoodthatis atriskofbecomingincreasinglyhomogenized. Thisisabuildingthatweandothersteachfromandabout.Ithasservedasan invaluablelearningresourceforstudents,colleaguesandscholars,andasourceof inspirationformanymore.Ithasapowerfularchitecturallegacy.Theinabilityto experiencethebuildingfirsthandandtoappreciateitsmeaningfromanhistorical perspectivewillbeprofoundlyfelt. Asarchitects,wemustbeoptimists. Sowelooktothefuture andwemoveon.