John F Kennedy Jfk Library Analysis

1255 Words3 Pages

JFK Library As its name suggests, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is a presidential library that is dedicated to the memory of thirty fifth president of the United States of America, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The structure which was designed by architect I. M. Pei is located in Boston, Massachusetts, in the Dorchester neighborhood on Columbia point. The structure which stands on a 10 acre park overlooking the sea is set in the form of striking geometric shapes of glass and concrete steel combined to create an appropriate stately monument. This essay offers a descriptive analysis of the exterior and interior lobby space of the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum. The main body of the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum structure …show more content…

It actually takes different illusions of depth when observed from either the frontal, back or side views. It is quite expansive when viewed from the frontal and back views as opposed to the side views. The side views on the other hand give an expression of depth that is created by the overlapping geometrical forms within the composition. As far as illusions go, the building is as spectacular on the outside as it is on the inside. The interior view of the pavilion, which constitutes the lobby, is nothing short of a spectacle. The interior of the pavilion creates a sun-filled, silent void which contrasts the darkened setting of the other areas of the building. Apart from the huge American flag hung on the ceiling of the pavilion, the rest of the cubic glass and steel shell is spacious and empty so as to allow the viewer to contemplate his experience of the museum’s artifacts against the panoramic view of the open sea, land and the sky. Iconographic elements that can be viewed from within and without the lobby include the enormous American flag and the “Victura”, (the former president’s sailboat) on display on the back loan. The two elements sort of represent the iconic status and the life of the former president. The flag also represents the vision and ideals that he embodied for the future of the country. As for the sailboat, it contributes to the personal attributes that Kennedy shared. He had a passion for sailing and also loved the sea. The museum’s structure as a whole is also set on a dramatic location along the Dorchester Bay in tribute to Kennedy’s love of the water and

Open Document