Founded in 1894, the M. H. de Young Museum has always been a landmark of the San Francisco cultural scene, so when the original buildings suffered significant damage after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, it was crucial to find the right design to get the museum back on its feet. After a ten year selection process, a design by the Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron was endorsed by the museum's board of trustees. The resulting construction is an exemplary example of a building that blends in with its surroundings; the use of warm, natural materials such as wood and copper and the artful placement of windows serves to make the museum a continuation of the park in which it is set. Other features such as the surrounding landscaping and the 144-foot tower and viewing platform will also be comprehensively documented in this fascinating study, which provides an in-depth look into every aspect of the de Young Museum, with contextual and critical essays, photography, plans and models to offer readers a privileged insight into a modern classic of architecture.

• Book Series Master Buildings
  
• Photography by Nic Lehoux
• Edited by Oscar Riera Ojeda

Contributors Biographies

Herzog & de Meuron Architekten, BSA/SIA/ETH (HdM) is a Swiss architecture firm, founded and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland in 1978. The careers of founders and senior partners Jacques Herzog (1950), and Pierre de Meuron (1950), closely paralleled one another, with both attending the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zürich. They are perhaps best known for their conversion of the giant Bankside Power Station in London to the new home of the Tate Modern. Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron have been visiting professors at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design since 1994 and professors at ETH Zürich since 1999. In 2001, Herzog & de Meuron were awarded the Pritzker Prize, the highest of honours in architecture.
Nic Lehoux is a Canadian architectural photographer who works with architects that push the boundaries of design of the built environment. Nic is regularly commissioned to document significant buildings around the world with his unique eye, lighting and sense of composition. His images are frequently published in the international architectural press. His professional work puts a particular emphasis on incorporating people within tightly-composed architectural photographs. Nic is influenced by the concept of the “decisive moment” – popularized by Henry Cartier-Bresson – which he adapts to the rigors of architectural photography. His images therefore serve as a reflection on the interaction of people with the built environment.