Born in Iran but currently based in London, Moussavi recently split up with her former work and life partner and beat out a lot of competition to win the MOCA project. But with a price tag of $27.2 million and more glass than we like to see on a new build, we predictably take issue with calling the project sustainable.

The three story museum opens with an enormous lobby area and a bold staircase that winds through the interior. A striking series of shiny triangular panels culminate in a four-sided crown, giving the museum its unique shape.

Some of the panels are transparent, which ushers in a smattering of natural light.

Moussavi was tasked with accommodating a mechanical plant within the building, but she wasn’t able to include a basement due to costs. So she had to use her 34,000 square feet wisely.

For some, an expensive new art museum in Cleveland was a controversial choice given the city’s industrial reputation. For others, it’s an opportunity to set forth a renaissance of sorts, or at the very least some urban renewal.

But for Moussavi, this design will be critical to her career development. If it is well-received, then she may be on her way, according to Sharon McHugh for World Architecture News.

And the alternative would be to slip back into relative obscurity.

Certainly it’s a beautiful building, and perhaps it will achieve LEED silver, but we’re a bit disappointed to see yet another rising star in the design world with a Middle Eastern background take the glitzy road versus one that might actually lead somewhere.

::Farshid Moussavi

Image credit: Dean Kaufman/Courtesy MOCA Cleveland

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