Renovation & Courtyard Entrance
Located in the historic town of Easton, Maryland, the AAM-accredited Academy Art Museum is a cultural arts center, serving the community through exhibitions and a broad spectrum of arts programs, as well as housing a renowned art collection. A major building renovation and courtyard entrance addition fulfills the strategic goal of “Opening New Doors to the Arts.” The centerpiece of the project is the reorientation of the Museum’s formal entrance through its central courtyard with an all-glass cube entrance addition.
Client
Academy Art Museum
Location
Easton, MD
Size
190 sf New Construction
6,000 sf Renovation
Completed
2020
STATUS
Built
The museum occupies one of Easton’s historic landmarks, the original chartered “School House” constructed in 1820. The complex includes three historic buildings stitched together with additions from the 90s. These additions offered new program space and the creation of an outdoor courtyard.
Academy first engaged the design team to study enclosing the courtyard created by the existing buildings. While this design elevated the adjacent architecture and created a large gathering space, it proved to be too expensive without augmenting either exhibition or collections storage.
In the evolved design approach, the visitor experience is redirected to arrive through a newly landscaped courtyard into a dramatic glass cube, and from there to a more welcoming lobby. The modern glass cube speaks to the dynamic and progressive aspirations of this important cultural institution. The renovation and addition tastefully honor the legacy of the Museum’s traditions and historic buildings, while embodying the openness and welcome central to 21st-century museum audiences.
Design Team
Steve Ziger
Jeremy Chinnis
Ann Powell
Consultants
Photography
Karl Connolly
Awards
Publications
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