WHY Architecture and K. Norman Berry Associates Architects redesigned Speed Art Museum by modeling some aspects of its original design and incorporating modern, sleek materials.
The renovation encompassed redesigning a 1927 neoclassical building, two additions and a sculpture park. The $60 million construction project added 62,500 square feet to the museum’s amenities and exhibit space.
The main challenge was designing something new to look historic. The metal panels bridged the gap between old and new, and the materials change in daylight. A 60,000-square-foot north pavilion was created by stacking three shifted volumes sheathed in fritted glass and folded aluminum panels, similar to the mouldings of the original museum.
MG McGrath Architectural Surfaces manufactured, fabricated and installed a 20,610-square-foot CENTRIA MetalWrap insulated-core metal wall backup system and 19,540-square-foot corrugated, expanded aluminum panel system with a pattern. Additionally, the project included a 485-square-foot aluminum composite metal wall panel system and 245-square-foot corrugated screenwall with aluminum corrugated wall panels at the backside.
Cristacurva Co. supplied and fabricated custom glass panels for the museum façade. The design consists of vertical rectangles in a formation that starts clear on the bottom and becomes tighter and denser as it rises. It controls light entering the museum. The museum also has fixed aluminum louvers and Kawneer Co. Inc.’s skylights. The 220,000-square-foot project was completed in March 2016.
