The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) announced Madrid-based practice Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos as the winner of the international design competition Reimagining the Dallas Museum of Art. The project was selected out of 154 submissions from around the world, and a shortlist featuring internationally recognized names such as David Chipperfield Architects, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Johnston Marklee, Michael Maltzan Architecture and Weiss/Manfredi. The winning proposal was conceived ‘as a reflection of the original building, transforming the relationship between art, landscape, and community into a balance of memory and innovation,’ according to the architects. The winner’s concept design is available to view in a free presentation on Mezzanine Level 2 at the DMA through this Fall and on the competition website.
The winning concept design was appreciated by the jury for its ability to address matters of circulation, sustainability and gallery expansion while also showing respect for the existing building. Originally designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes, the campus was surrounded by empty lots and warehouses. Since its opening in 1984, the neighborhood around it has evolved to include the expansion of the Arts District, the addition of Klyde Warren Park to the north, along with the construction of new residences and offices. The competition aimed to redesign the museum's grounds, increase physical visibility and transparency, and make the DMA more hospitable and open to all.
Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos’s solution is focused on enhancing the interior street defining the main axis of the museum by bringing in natural light from above, increasing accessibility by rethinking the stepped ground floor ramp, and making visual connections through the entire building. The design also creates more intuitive circulation flows for the visitors by unifying the vertical circulation nodes and connecting them to the interior street.
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Chipperfield, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Nieto Sobejano Amongst the 6 Shortlisted Entries for the Dallas Museum of ArtThe need for extended gallery space is addressed by the introduction of a floating square extension on the roof, creating a flexible space for displaying contemporary art. The new addition also incorporates an event space and restaurant, along with a roof terrace overlooking Klyde Warren Park. Two new dynamic facades at the south and north of the building also help to increase visibility and invite visitors to explore the museum campus. Education and performance spaces are arranged along Harwood Street to encourage curiosity and create opportunities for public space activation.
The team has also taken into consideration the principles of sustainability, choosing to retain much of the original building, thus limiting the amount of added carbon emissions. Rainfall collection is also included, along with bioclimatic design and electricity generation through photovoltaics and geothermal energy.
Based in Madrid and Berlin, Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos is internationally recognized for works such as the Madinat al-Zahra Museum in Spain, the Moritzburg Museum in Halle, Germany, and the Castillo De La Luz Museum, also in Spain. Recently, the office has unveiled the new design for Cité du Théâtre, a large cultural center promoted by the French government in Paris. Last year, Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos, in collaboration with French architect Richard Faure, won the competition for the new Museum of Fine Arts in the city of Vannes, Brittany, France.
