Buildings That Educate: Museums, Homes and Sustainability
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Sometimes, the best new green remodeling ideas come from the past.
One of my favorite building types are museums—whether it is the Musée du Louvre (“the Louvre Museum”) or the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, or museums in Vienna, Austria, New York, London, or any other major city and many towns all over the world—because of the educational benefits they naturally bring as an integral factor in their existence.
A few years ago, I visited the Louvre to meet with the head of research and learn how they study, and what they consider when they display the work in their custody, for visitors and the Louvre’s website. It was fascinating and informative. It also provided thoughts on how to design houses.
One interesting fact I discovered is that many of the outstanding museums are “remodeled” buildings—they were not originally designed to be museums. This can give us inspiration for “remodeling projects” we might have in our own residential design work.
The famed art museum Musée d'Orsay in Paris, once a train station during the early 20th centruy, is the inspriation for stylish and sustainable remodeling for homebuilders. Credit: Flickr/Gael Varoquaux
There is the potential for a remodeling project to really “rise to the occasion.” The area that is now the Louvre originally started out as a fortress in the 12th century, then became a royal residence, and then a museum in 1793. Two wings were added later, and then there was the addition of the glass pyramid/entry in 1989.
The Musée d’Orsay in Paris was originally a train station called Gare d’Orsay. That building conversion was designed by Gae Aulenti, an Italian architect who also converted the old downtown San Francisco Library into the SF Asian Art Museum.
A 92-year old former medical clinic in Palo Alto, California, which has been vacant since 2000, is being transformed into the Palo Alto History Museum, an education tool for city residents. The new facility, which includes sutainable features such as clay tile roofing, reinforced concrete and recyclable stucco, is scheduled to open in 2026. Credit: Palo Alto Museum
Aulenti gave me a tour of the San Francisco Asian Art Museum when it was under reconstruction. It was informative and instructive. I also visited Musee d’Orsay when I was in Paris, with the additional insight from the architect of the “remodeling” from train station to Art Museum.
Perhaps even in your hometown you have a museum that is a great asset to your community. If not, consider the value of creating one or being on a team that undertakes that endeavor for your own town.
I’m currently involved with the Palo Alto History Museum where I live. It is a fascinating process—one of the most interesting projects in my career. It will be in a building that was originally a medical clinic and is currently being remodeled into the Palo Alto History Museum.
A mental "walk-through" of an in-progress house can reveal significant aspects of good home design. Credit: istock/kasipat
Elements of History in Residential Design
Whether your house project is period-design influenced or a modern, contemporary design, history and “circulation” can play a significant role in its design and construction. A home is a reflection of the client or family whose house it will be. Doing mental “walk-throughs” of the house to test a design’s accommodation of circulation and displays is a significant aspect of good home design, just like in a museum.
Considering the paths through the house by the homeowners and family members, as well as visitors to the house, can help determine the floorplan layout. People’s desires to emulate a certain period of historical architectural design can significantly affect the exterior design, as well as the organization and arrangement of certain rooms inside the house. Many factors, from informal “farmhouse” design features to formal historically influenced interiors, can play a significant role in the design of any house.
For example, a blank wall implies that something is going to be placed on that wall for people to view. This can be very intentional and controlled in the home’s design.
At the same time, there are areas of many homes where “displays” of family photographs or casual or “collector-level” art, can be designed for. It can be a countertop or a piece of furniture, or a blank wall that will beg for something or accommodate artwork the client already possesses or will soon possess. So, homes have “mini museum” elements that can be featured or accommodated with purposeful design and circulation.
Sustainable Features
The “sustainable” features of the house can be elements that are obvious or subtle. They are often proud homeowners’ subject of discussion with their visitors and are sure to enhance living in the house, as well as visiting others. I’ve been involved in a home design where half of the guests at the opening were meeting in the spacious “Mechanical Room.” The interest of some people is significant when having the opportunity to visit a house with interesting features!
A Building for the “Community”
Just as a history museum’s design considers the community it is designed for, a house can benefit from considering the “community’” of visitors that a single-family homeowner will have. If it is a custom home, the homeowner will certainly enjoy a layout with these museum-related features and considerations, in addition to the way it addresses sustainable design features.
Terry Beaubois is CEO of BKS: Building Knowledge Systems, in Palo Alto, California. His experience in computer technology related to construction goes back decades with NASA, and he has continued to research and apply the latest technology under development that is appropriate for consideration in the AEC/Building Industry. He can be contacted at tbeaubois@gmail.com.
Buildings That Educate: Museums, Homes and Sustainability
Sometimes, the best new green remodeling ideas come from the past.
One of my favorite building types are museums—whether it is the Musée du Louvre (“the Louvre Museum”) or the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, or museums in Vienna, Austria, New York, London, or any other major city and many towns all over the world—because of the educational benefits they naturally bring as an integral factor in their existence.
A few years ago, I visited the Louvre to meet with the head of research and learn how they study, and what they consider when they display the work in their custody, for visitors and the Louvre’s website. It was fascinating and informative. It also provided thoughts on how to design houses.
One interesting fact I discovered is that many of the outstanding museums are “remodeled” buildings—they were not originally designed to be museums. This can give us inspiration for “remodeling projects” we might have in our own residential design work.
The famed art museum Musée d'Orsay in Paris, once a train station during the early 20th centruy, is the inspriation for stylish and sustainable remodeling for homebuilders. Credit: Flickr/Gael Varoquaux
There is the potential for a remodeling project to really “rise to the occasion.” The area that is now the Louvre originally started out as a fortress in the 12th century, then became a royal residence, and then a museum in 1793. Two wings were added later, and then there was the addition of the glass pyramid/entry in 1989.
The Musée d’Orsay in Paris was originally a train station called Gare d’Orsay. That building conversion was designed by Gae Aulenti, an Italian architect who also converted the old downtown San Francisco Library into the SF Asian Art Museum.
A 92-year old former medical clinic in Palo Alto, California, which has been vacant since 2000, is being transformed into the Palo Alto History Museum, an education tool for city residents. The new facility, which includes sutainable features such as clay tile roofing, reinforced concrete and recyclable stucco, is scheduled to open in 2026. Credit: Palo Alto Museum
Aulenti gave me a tour of the San Francisco Asian Art Museum when it was under reconstruction. It was informative and instructive. I also visited Musee d’Orsay when I was in Paris, with the additional insight from the architect of the “remodeling” from train station to Art Museum.
Perhaps even in your hometown you have a museum that is a great asset to your community. If not, consider the value of creating one or being on a team that undertakes that endeavor for your own town.
I’m currently involved with the Palo Alto History Museum where I live. It is a fascinating process—one of the most interesting projects in my career. It will be in a building that was originally a medical clinic and is currently being remodeled into the Palo Alto History Museum.
A mental "walk-through" of an in-progress house can reveal significant aspects of good home design. Credit: istock/kasipat
Elements of History in Residential Design
Whether your house project is period-design influenced or a modern, contemporary design, history and “circulation” can play a significant role in its design and construction. A home is a reflection of the client or family whose house it will be. Doing mental “walk-throughs” of the house to test a design’s accommodation of circulation and displays is a significant aspect of good home design, just like in a museum.
Considering the paths through the house by the homeowners and family members, as well as visitors to the house, can help determine the floorplan layout. People’s desires to emulate a certain period of historical architectural design can significantly affect the exterior design, as well as the organization and arrangement of certain rooms inside the house. Many factors, from informal “farmhouse” design features to formal historically influenced interiors, can play a significant role in the design of any house.
For example, a blank wall implies that something is going to be placed on that wall for people to view. This can be very intentional and controlled in the home’s design.
At the same time, there are areas of many homes where “displays” of family photographs or casual or “collector-level” art, can be designed for. It can be a countertop or a piece of furniture, or a blank wall that will beg for something or accommodate artwork the client already possesses or will soon possess.
So, homes have “mini museum” elements that can be featured or accommodated with purposeful design and circulation.
Sustainable Features
The “sustainable” features of the house can be elements that are obvious or subtle. They are often proud homeowners’ subject of discussion with their visitors and are sure to enhance living in the house, as well as visiting others.
I’ve been involved in a home design where half of the guests at the opening were meeting in the spacious “Mechanical Room.” The interest of some people is significant when having the opportunity to visit a house with interesting features!
A Building for the “Community”
Just as a history museum’s design considers the community it is designed for, a house can benefit from considering the “community’” of visitors that a single-family homeowner will have. If it is a custom home, the homeowner will certainly enjoy a layout with these museum-related features and considerations, in addition to the way it addresses sustainable design features.
By Terry Beaubois, Guest Columnist
Terry Beaubois is CEO of BKS: Building Knowledge Systems, in Palo Alto, California. His experience in computer technology related to construction goes back decades with NASA, and he has continued to research and apply the latest technology under development that is appropriate for consideration in the AEC/Building Industry. He can be contacted at tbeaubois@gmail.com.Also Read