Work has officially started on Frank Gehry's plans to "unclog the arteries" of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a major renovation that will transform the layout of the historic building.
The Canadian-American architect's masterplan for the 1920s structure involves removing interventions made by Venturi Scott Brown in the 1980s, and opening up new routes so visitors can better orientate themselves within the museum.

"We set about unclogging the arteries, and clarifying the roofs and spaces, and making them clearer so circulation will be much more understandable," said Gehry during the groundbreaking ceremony yesterday.
"And then the pièce de résistance ? which hopefully will come soon ? to create wonderful galleries that are much needed to complete the story that was started here in Philadelphia."
Major alterations to the layout include the removal of the central auditorium, which will open up views right through the building. The space in its place will be known as the Forum, and include a grand staircase that will connect vaulted walkways below to the floors above.
New galleries will be created for American and contemporary art on Level A, where corridors will be moved to provide views out to the east terrace and the Philadelphia skyline.

The reconfiguration will add 11,500 square feet (1,068 square metres) of exhibition space and 67,000 square feet (6,225 square metres) of public areas within the existing structure.
Other changes will ...