olson kundig’s bob dylan center set to open in tulsa with over 100,000 exclusive items
the three-story center will exhibit an invaluable collection, including original manuscripts, photographs, songs, footage, memorabilia, and unreleased recordings.
the opening of the bob dylan center (BDC), designed by the architecture firm olson kundig, is coming next spring on may 10, 2022, with more than 100,000 exclusive artifacts created by the american icon spanning over sixty years of his career. located in the former paper factory in the tulsa arts district, oklahoma, the three-story center will exhibit an invaluable collection found in the bod dylan archive, including original handwritten manuscripts, photographs, songs, footage, memorabilia, and unreleased recordings.
all images courtesy of brian havener — olson kundig, unless stated otherwise
the bob dylan center designed by olson kundig, will function as a multimedia experiences venue open not only to artists and researchers but also to the public that seeks a ‘deeper comprehension of his work’. the immersive brick-clad facade will district a unique 1966 photograph of dylan, taken by the photographer jerry schatzberg. ‘olson kundig is thrilled to lead the amazing design team creating the bob dylan center, the new home for the bob dylan archive. the bob dylan center will include immersive exhibit experiences with rarely seen artifacts that illustrate the creative trajectory of one of the world’s greatest and most prolific artists,’ stated alan maskin, design principal, in this instagram post.
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inside, the archive wall dubbed ‘cabinet of curiosities’, will take shape as a 75-feet-long (23m) surface covered by different-sized wooden boxes showcasing items of his archive collection. the BDC seeks to foster a dialogue about the significance of creativity through a depth look at his creation with displays, performances, and lectures, inspiring guests from around the world to interact with the exclusive collection.
interior archive wall, rendering
image courtesy of BDC, in this instagram post
bob dylan with the kaleidoscope hair — in 1966 CBS commissioned the well-known american designer milton glaser to design the poster accompanying bob dylan’s greatest hits (1967), more info about glaser here
interior six songs exhibit, rendering
vivid welcoming area — earlier rendering, released in 2018 by olson kunding 
a series of wall recesses — earlier rendering, released in 2018 by olson kunding
transparent volumes contain items of his exclusive treasure — earlier rendering, released in 2018 by olson kunding
image courtesy of barry feinstein
bob dylan – live on stage, 1974
project info:
name: bob dylan center
architects: olson kundig
team: alan maskin (design principal), stephen yamada-heidner (principal), marlene chen (project manager), holly simon (project architect)
location: tulsa, oklahoma
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