Pieranna Cavalchini, Curator of Contemporary Art at Gardner Museum, talks about the living room. The new wing of the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum designed by Renzo Piano provides a bustling complement to the serenity of the historic palace. The form of the expansion features four volumes that seem to levitate above the transparent first floor. Characteristic of Piano's work, glass facades and skylights abound, creating a light and functional space that contrasts with the heaviness of the original museum building. The design privileged sustainability features, such as a geothermal well system, daylight harvesting, water efficient landscaping techniques, and the use of local and regional materials.