A difficult budget and site led to innovative solutions for the small museum overlooking Lake Michigan. A composite of seven structures, including a monolithic 1960 bank as well as Civil War-era buildings, the design leverages existing conditions cutting down on waste, while introducing cost and material saving techniques. Clad in translucent iridescent acrylic panels, the project quickly became a cultural icon for the revitalization of downtown Racine, WI. An inviting glazed ground floor pulls the public into the institution to explore the carefully lit largest contemporary craft collection in North America.