Zaha Hadid’s Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art sits as an intimidating body, housing a range of changing art exhibits throughout the year. Visitors and locals alike walk through downtown Cincinnati and see these enormous cantilevered masses pack together on the corner of Walnut and 6th.
Almost appearing as if they are floating together above the ground, the blocks seem to be designed on a scale separate from their surrounding environment. Although their bulkiness should intimidate, the sidewalk the building lies upon pulls up and into the building, making this building a part of the city’s fabric. This “urban carpet” spans the building and reaches down to passerby, inviting any and all to become a visitor. This curved wall pulls you up through a narrow staircase that takes you to the museum floors and creative spaces. The blocks sewn together with columns create a space that pulls you inside and separates you from the open streets you exited just moments ago. As one moves back down through the concrete masses, the carpet allows for a smooth reentrance to downtown, feeling as though you are not leaving the space entirely, but simply allowing it to evolve into the city.
