Since opening in 1968, the Studio Museum in Harlem has had to make do with difficult homes. Originally operating out of a rented loft, the museum moved into a roomier early 20th century commercial space, renovated by J. Max Bond, Jr., in 1982. But despite further renovations, the building's age and design were limiting the Museum's scope and programming. Now, the Studio Museum will have its very own building designed by David Adjaye, built specifically for its needs, replacing its current building on the same site.

Adjaye's design will significantly expand the museum's facilities, including 50% more space for both the galleries and the artist-in-residence program, as well as 60% more public indoor space. As quoted in The New York Times, Adjaye spoke of trying to merge the city and neighborhood feel with the museum's presence in Harlem: “Between the residential and the civic, we learned the lessons of public realms and tried to bring those two together.”

The design features a "reverse stoop" (Adjaye's term), a staircase leading from the sidewalk into a public programming space, and a "sculptural facade that contrasts strongly with the surrounding commercial buildings, while being transparent and porous from street level", according to a press release from the Studio Museum issued this morning. The design is also characterized by local influences from "brownstones, churches and bustling sidewalks of Harlem".

Conceptual designs are being submitted to the City on July 14, with construction to begin in 2017, aligned with the museum's fifty-year anniversary in 2018. The estimated $122M price-tag is being partially funded by New York City ($35.3M), along with $3M from The Ford Foundation. The remaining cost will be funded by other sources. Adjaye Associates will be working in conjunction with Cooper Robertson.

Studio Museum was the first to present London-based Adjaye's architectural work in the US, in the 2007 exhibition, "David Adjaye: Making Public Buildings".

h/t The New York Times

More newsworthy work by David Adjaye:

• David Adjaye talks about woven architecture and his new D.C. museum
• David Adjaye: Contextualizing Approaches to Urbanization
• Architecture vs. Housing: The Case of Sugar Hill
• Watch: First Look at the Museum of African American History and Culture