Cape Ann Museum – Gloucester, MA
DETAILS
Architect:
DesignLAB Architects
Photography:
Steve Rosenthal and Andrew Shea
Location:
Gloucester, MA
Exterior Cladding:
reSAWN TIMBER co.
BRIZA – Weathered Atlantic White Cedar
STK (Select Tight Knot)
Finished on face only, sealed all 4 sides (exterior)
Solid 3/4” thick x 5-1/8” wide x 6′-16′ random lengths
Tongue & Groove
Just North of Boston, the Cape Ann Museum showcases the art and cultural history of nautical New England. Cape Ann boasts a rich and varied culture of nationally significant historical, industrial, and artistic achievement. Their ongoing $2.6 million renovations included reSAWN’s BRIZA Weathered Atlantic White Cedar exterior cladding. This new section of the Museum is coined The Cape Ann Museum Green, designed to expand their community, contemporary art, and educational offerings. This is an elegant renovation to the almost 150-year-old nonprofit art and history museum. Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken said she is excited to see the expansion of a museum that celebrates the historical, industrial, and artistic achievements of Cape Ann.
BRIZA is a high-performing, natural material with a weathered aesthetic. Combining Atlantic White Cedar’s impressive exterior reputation and reSAWN’s design process, BRIZA is durable, dimensionally stable, resistant to rot and insects, and has a grey, weathered look. For a similar look to BRIZA, see reSAWN’s WASHOE Alaskan Yellow Cedar.
Grown along the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida, Atlantic White Cedar is widely used as an exterior siding material for its decay resistance and durability. We chose the domestic softwood for its ability to accept and hold finishes, which made it a perfect species for our weathered designs. The weathered designs provide an exterior material that will have minimal aesthetic variation throughout its installation.
designLAB Architects uses the term critical stewardship to describe their design philosophy – the essential thread that connects a varied body of work. It lies at the intersection of historic preservation and environmentally conscious design, with an emphasis on human-focused decision-making.
