ABSTRACT
The Broad Art Museum is a potent demonstration of the spell that star names can weave upon donors; it is also an instance of big-name design and radical aesthetics being overtly employed to generate attention in pursuit of institutional goals. The museum was conceived as a cultural bridge between the university and the local community, integrating the one with the other whilst also investing both with artistic capital. Eli Broad has spoken of creating a 'mini-Bilbao effect', with Hadid's futuristic design drawing cultural tourists to the overlooked host city of East Lansing and raising Michigan State University's (MSU) profile. Sited on the campus's northern edge on a busy commercial thoroughfare, the Broad Museum has, in common with many university starchitect structures, a position as a gateway building. Despite a small footprint, its location ensures visibility and stimulates community engagement. The building is radically different to any other structures in the locality.
