<P> The next ten years were a period of rapid growth and change, as the American Craft Council was restructured and the Museum and the Council were established as independent organizations . Holly Hotchner was appointed as director of the Museum in 1996, and served as director for 16 years until 2013 . Hotchner initiated a comprehensive strategic planning process that expanded the Board of Trustees, curatorial staff, and exhibition and educational program . This process led to the Museum's name change, in 2002, to the Museum of Arts and Design to reflect the institution's increasingly interdisciplinary collections and programming . The continued growth of MAD's collections, public programs, and attendance resulted in its successful 2002 bid to the New York City Economic Development Corporation to acquire the building at 2 Columbus Circle . </P> <P> The Museum opened in its new home at 2 Columbus Circle to great controversy . The proposed changes to the building originally designed by Edward Durell Stone sparked a preservation debate joined by Tom Wolfe (The New York Times; October 12, 2003 and October 13, 2003), Chuck Close, Frank Stella, Robert A.M. Stern, Columbia art history department chairman Barry Bergdoll, New York Times architecture critics Herbert Muschamp and Nicolai Ouroussoff, urbanist scholar Witold Rybczynski, among others . Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D - NY) referred to it as "one of New York's most photographed and readily recognizable buildings ." </P> <P> The new building was designed by Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works Architecture, in September 2008 . With its textured façade of glazed terra - cotta tile and fritted glass, the Jerome and Simona Chazen Building reflects MAD's craft heritage and permanent collections and animates Columbus Circle, one of Manhattan's most significant public spaces . </P> <P> In September 2013, Dr. Glenn Adamson was appointed as the museum's new Nanette L. Laitman Director . Previously a vocal critic of the museum, Adamson was characterized as a "bold choice" by the trustees . After a tenure of just over two years, Adamson stepped down from the post . Chris Scoates was appointed Director of the Museum in March 2018 . </P>

The museum of art and design new york