by Leigh Christy

Museum franchising seems to be a growing trend. The Guggenheim is a well established worldwide franchise, and The Louvre is on its way. The New York-based Museum of Modern Art and Dia Art Foundation each have two sites, while the London-based Tate has four.

Now joining this prestigious list, near the U.S./Mexico border, is the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), which has just significantly expanded its presence in downtown San Diego by adding a second venue in a historic train depot, to complement the sister site in nearby La Jolla, California.

The institution's maxim, "One museum, two locations," combines well with its "X" logo — graphically representing the intersection of museums, countries, and railroad lines. Making multiple sites complement one another architecturally, however, became a substantial challenge for Gluckman Mayner Architects (GMA).   >>>

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Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego by Gluckman Mayner Architects. Photo: Philipp Scholz Rittermann Jacobs Building, Strauss and Farrell Galleries. Photo: Philipp Scholz Rittermann   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.