The Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA, has just announced that it will discontinue its relationship with the architectural firm of Rick Mather, whose death on Apr. 20 threw the museum’s well planned expansion project into disarray.
This just in from the PEM:
“We are deeply saddened by Rick Mather’s passing. It was a privilege and an honor to work with Rick and his team. He was a gifted architect,” said Dan Monroe, PEM’s…director and CEO.
“After careful consideration, we have determined the best way forward to complete our expansion project is to engage the services of another firm for the next phase of design. We remain deeply appreciative of all the hard work and dedication that RMA has shown, including development of the master plan and program as well as the successful design and completion of the crucial first phase of the project. We wish them well in all of their future endeavors.”
PEM will engage the design services of a yet-undetermined architectural firm, for which an announcement will follow in the coming weeks.
Might Moshe Safdie, architect of the PEM’s last expansion, be called back? He seemed to be in the loop of what was going on in the days after the sad news was announced.
My guess, though, from what a PEM spokesperson previously told me about the choice of Mather, is that they may bypass Safdie and go with someone else from the shortlist of those who were being considered along with Mather.