Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts, the leading cultural institution of the region, has recently selected Steven Holl Architects to design a new museum building to support its collections, exhibitions, and various educational programs. After a comprehensive international competition, MFAH asked Steven Holl, Snøhetta, and Morphosis to develop site-specific concepts for the planned expansion. The jury unanimously chose Holl as his strong portfolio of built museums, such as the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the recently finished Cité de l’Océan et du Surf, display a sense of elegance and clarity much desired by the MFAH.
More about the museum after the break.
Although the competition calls for new construction, the project will integrate the Isamu Noguchi-designed Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden as well as address the expansion of the Glassell School of Art. The new museum will occupy two-acres of museum-owned land that is currently functioning as a parking lot, and will sit across Bissonnet Street from the Audrey Jones Beck Building, designed by Rafael Moneo, and the Caroline Wiess Law Building, designed by Mies van der Rohe.
“We are very excited to collaborate with the MFAH to realize this exceptional museum expansion for Houston. The amazing potential of this project is an inspiring challenge. We are honored to give this work our full attention and enthusiasm. With the optimism of the new director and trustees, the MFAH is poised to realize an expanded integral campus with excellent new spaces for art,” explained Steven Holl and Chris McVoy.
We’ll keep you posted as the design process continues for Steven Holl.
