OMA has released new images of their proposed expansion project to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York. The “bold, freestanding building” forms part of the AK360 expansion project, which also includes an OMA-led preservation and improvement project of the existing campus.
The new building will add 29,000 square feet of much-needed space for the display of exhibitions and the museum’s art collection, while also incorporating visitor amenities linked through a wraparound promenade.
Further works on the campus by OMA include a new education wing at the lower level of the existing 1960s building, the transformation of a surface parking lot into a landscaped gathering space, and alterations to the façade of the 1960s building. A new bridge will connect the North Building to the 1905 building via Olmstead Park, while a new roof enclosure to an open-air garden will enable year-round events regardless of weather.
The north building comprises three levels offering diverse gallery experiences. Encircling the second level gallery is a double-height promenade, a flexible space with 360-degree views to the surrounding buildings and Olmsted landscape. The building is enveloped by a translucent façade that achieves an open and ephemeral quality and engages the external environment. Layers of visual and spatial connections throughout the north building foster dialogue with the architectural legacy of the Albright-Knox while inviting contemporary audiences to discover the diverse activities within.
-Shohei Shigematsu, Partner, OMA
The project has received $125 million in donations for the projected $155 million total cost. Having been announced as design partners in 2016, OMA will continue design development until autumn 2019, with the opening expected in 2021.
News via: OMA
