In January, Archinect previously reported on the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) and its plans to open in May 2022. The 133,000-square-foot Museum is designed by Studio Gang in collaboration with landscape architecture firm SCAPE and Little Rock-based Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects. While initial renders of the new Museum's design didn't provide specifics to the Museum's distinct roof design, recent construction images showcase a signature roof design that flows, "blossoming out to the north and south," as described by the firm. "Spanning the length of the building, the roofline connects new construction and renovated spaces and establishes AMFA's new architectural identity."
Located within Little Rock's historic Macarthur Park, Studio Gang's design process began by studying the Museum's original building from 1937 and its eight additions. Aiming to create a renewed architectural identity that integrates the building with its surrounding landscape and the downtown neighborhood, the firm developed a new central space that weaves through the existing structure, seen in its new roofline.
Following their design ethos of "start with what's there," the implementation of adaptive reuse practices was crucial to the Museum's redevelopment. "The most carbon-intensive elements of the building have been kept intact [...] renovated spaces, connected through new construction, improve the Museum's programming capacity, allowing for more art to be displayed, more classes to be taught, and more events to be offered for public engagement."
View construction photos of the project site below.
Despite several projects put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Museum explained construction continued safely this past year with Studio Gang, SCAPE, and Polk Stanley Wilcox teams overseeing key project milestones. "Continued construction on the new Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts also served to buffer the region's construction industry in a challenging economic time," shared AMFA. "More than 50 Arkansas companies have been employed on the project, with more than 200 workers at the site every day."
10 Comments
hard pass.
"The most carbon-intensive elements of the building have been kept intact" ... and added to with a massive concrete roof.
No hypocrisy here.
There's always something clumsy with SG's buildings. They look alright in renders but the final product lacks material and detail elegance. Is it VE or did something get lost in CD?
Not sure this particular proposal ever looked elegant in my opinion.
Yeah this one looks straight out of 60s Eastern bloc.
yes, even assuming the design is "good," it's very clumsy in its execution.
Which part of the execution is clumsy?
I think it's rad *shrug*
it'll look better when it's finished, too, right?
Because looks are all that matter.
I do hope they will install PV on those roofs...
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