One of New York’s most beloved skyline perches is about to get even better. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has unveiled The Roof, Reimagined, a joyful redesign of its famous Roof Garden by architect Frida Escobedo — the creative force behind the museum’s new Oscar L. Tang and H.M. Agnes Hsu-Tang Wing.
The plan grows the Roof Garden from about 7,500 to 10,500 square feet, adding shaded seating, new green space and flexible spots for art, performances and community gatherings. Flexible glass doors will connect the garden to the Tang Wing, so the views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline can be enjoyed in more kinds of weather, and the Tang Wing’s own 4,500-square-foot fifth-floor terrace will open as a public space for the first time.
“This project is a significant step forward in the Museum’s decades-long effort to reimagine and enhance our Fifth Avenue home,” said Max Hollein, The Met’s director and CEO, as the museum celebrated Escobedo’s people-first, light-filled approach.
When construction on the Tang Wing begins, the current Roof Garden and its café will close for several years — all the more reason to savor the skyline from up there this fall. The Met is at 1000 Fifth Avenue on Museum Mile.
Photo: TheCatalyst31, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
