Breakfast in Paradise: Preview of Calder Gardens in Philadelphia

A new cultural landmark has taken root along Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway: Calder Gardens, a space dedicated to the work and legacy of Alexander Calder. An interplay between art, nature and architecture - something that many Philadelphians are already familiar with having seen the recent renovation of the Philadelphia Museum of Art by Frank Gehry or Woodmere’s art trails and museum expansion set to open this November - Calder Gardens introduces a new explorative experience to the area with the artist’s mobiles, stabiles and drawings responding to the seasons without wall labels or artwork descriptions.

Designed by Herzog & de Meuron with a living landscape by Piet Oudolf, the project provides Philadelphians with a green haven in the city’s core, with a seamless dialogue between indoor and outdoor experiences. We follow our contributing writer who called the preview day, a “breakfast in paradise.” Calder Gardens opened to the public Sunday September 21 with a celebratory parade by Arto Lindsay, “Chaos and Kisses” with Sun Ra Akestra as they recognize this historical event with a culturally driven march from Love Park to Maja Park.

Before opening to the public, I had the chance to attend the press preview for Calder Gardens (a brand new green space project in Philadelphia’s city center). A grand way to start my mini break from New York Fashion Week to celebrate the legacy of one of the greatest artists of our time, Alexander Calder. The gardens are designed as somewhere to pause, reflect and connect with Calder’s legacy right here in his hometown. Best known for inventing the mobile, he created sculptures that connected engineering and artistry, reshaping how the public experiences space and form. His objects emphasize movement, color, and dimension to transform this space into living composition and a site for reflection.

The inaugural press reception began with the communal space being opened for view before we were gathered near the N. 22nd St entrance for coffee, fresh pastries and other specialty breakfast bites as members of the Calder and Barnes Foundation led a panel alongside the institution’s Director of Programming Juana Berrio, Alexander S.C. ‘Sandy’ Rower, Jacques Herzog, Jason Frantzen (of Herzog & de Meuron), Joseph Neubauer, and Thom Collins. After a short browse of their beautifully designed lower galleries and sunken gardens before sharing stone-cooked pizzas from Agricola (a Philly favorite).