Opened to the public on January 2, 2010, The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in Charlotte, North Carolina is dedicated to the presentation of mid-20th-century art. The museum building was designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta and is named after the family of Andreas Bechtler.
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art (2015-09-21) by Laura MullerBechtler Museum of Modern Art
The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in Charlotte, North Carolina is a 36,500-square-foot museum space dedicated to the presentation of mid-20th-century art. The museum building was designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta and is named after the family of Andreas Bechtler, a Swiss-born Charlotte resident who inherited and assembled a collection of more than 1,400 works of art by major figures of 20th-century modernism. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art opened to the public on January 2, 2010.
History of the Bechtler Building (2020) by AVO InsightsBechtler Museum of Modern Art
The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is part of the Levine Center for the Arts in Uptown Charlotte, NC - a cultural destination that also includes the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, the Knight Theater, and the Mint Museum Uptown.
Bechtler Interior (2010) by Enrico CanoBechtler Museum of Modern Art
The Bechtler is one of Charlotte, North Carolina’s most inspired and inspiring spaces. Designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, the museum’s architecture displays a sculptural power that connects to the dynamic art inside it. A key design element of the four-story structure is the soaring glass atrium that extends through the museum’s core and diffuses natural light throughout the building. This open atrium allows for dynamic visual interplay between spaces. Other notable features include a vaulted skylight system and an enveloping terra cotta exterior.
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art (2010) by Gary O'BrienBechtler Museum of Modern Art
The building’s dominant feature is the fourth-floor gallery which makes a bold and dramatic statement as it floats out from the core of the building, cantilevered and supported by a swelling column rising from the plaza below.
Bechtler interior featuring Wall Drawing #995 Color Geometric Form by Sol LeWitt (2010) by Gary O'BrienBechtler Museum of Modern Art
Inside, a rigorous but elegant palette of materials are presented, including steel, glass, terra cotta, black granite, polished concrete, and wood.
Prominently displayed in the museum’s soaring multi-story foyer and visible from the street the vibrant large-scale, Wall Drawing 995, in 2001 is by the American artist Sol LeWitt (1928-2007). This massive work – 23 feet by 5 inches tall by 27 feet and 5 inches wide – was installed at the Bechtler in October 2009 and is on long-term loan courtesy of the Estate of Sol LeWitt. Between 1968- and his death, LeWitt created 1200 wall drawings. Each wall drawing begins as a set of instructions or a simple diagram to be followed in executing the work which is carried out by specially trained artists.
Bechtler Lobby (2010) by Gary O"BrienBechtler Museum of Modern Art
Select pieces of furniture in the museum were also designed by Botta including the reception desk, café bar, gallery benches, and hanging globe lights in the lobby.
Bechtler architect Mario Botta (2014-01-06) by Nancy PierceBechtler Museum of Modern Art
World renowned Swiss architect Mario Botta is known for his minimalist style and use of traditional materials such as brick and stone. His buildings consistently respect topographical conditions, regional factors, and building materials. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art reflects Botta’s flair for strong, contemporary structures that layer colors, textures, and materials.
Mario Botta's sketch of the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art (2010-07-16) by Mario BottaBechtler Museum of Modern Art
Exercising his modernist viewpoint, Botta designed the Bechtler to not only stand apart as a unique contribution to the urban landscape, but also to serve as a strong aesthetic partner among a group of individual design statements. Botta is considered one of the world’s foremost architects whose career spans a variety of building types. He has accepted only two commissions in the United States: the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art – iconic structures that enhance each cityscape.
