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Rice+Lipka Architects

Rice+Lipka Architects

New York, NY

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Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD)

MOCAD, designed by the collaborative team of Rice+Lipka Architects and James Corner Field Operations (R+L/JCFO), re-envisions the museum's Albert Kahn-designed industrial shed building and exterior surrounds as an expanded cultural center that opens up to and fully engages the surrounding community. R+L/JCFO's design and masterplan, based on the acquisition of adjacent property just to the museum's south (now a parking lot), provides a refreshed identity, reconceptualized program and new organization for MOCAD. In a seeming paradox, the project seeks be completely transformative, even as it preserves MOCAD's raw, industrial edge.

The project includes new and expanded museum entry, exhibition & event spaces, café, support & administrative functions, as well as generous outdoor art & event spaces that open directly onto Woodward Avenue for the first time. The new vision for infrastructure and grounds will work to invigorate MOCAD's already robust music & arts programming and community engagement, and position the museum as an energetic catalyst for the resurgence of Midtown.

R+L/JCFO's design has been recognized with the 2014 New York State Design Award of Excellence in the Unbuilt category, the 2013 Architectural Review Future Projects Award for the category of “Old & New”, and honored with a special mention in the Architizer A+ Awards for the “Architecture +Urban Transformation” category. The design is cited by the Future Project jury as “an inspirational project that combines past and present in a well resolved and convincing manner. It creates new space for new creativity in a post-industrial city.” 

Lyn Rice and Astrid Lipka, Principals
Benjamin Cadena, Associate
Patrick Burke, Jordan Prosser, Simon Ng, Xin Wu, design team

 

 
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Status: Unbuilt
Location: Detroit, MI, US
Additional Credits: Lyn Rice and Astrid Lipka, Principals
Benjamin Cadena, Associate
Patrick Burke, Jordan Prosser, Simon Ng, Xin Wu, design team

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
James Corner Field Operations

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Robert Silman Associates

CIVIL ENGINEERING
SmithGroup/JJR