The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) has announced Selldorf Architects as the lead designer for an effort aimed at revitalizing its public spaces and permanent collections galleries for the first time since 2006.

The scope of the project entails the creation of a new dedicated space for time-based media art and other types of displays in line with the museum’s “new vision.” Selldorf’s design will “highlight the grandeur of the historical architecture” of the Greek Revival Old Patent Office Building while simultaneously creating the new spaces. A press release mentioned the firm’s engagement with the Smithsonian Institution on the project dating back to 2020. 

“This reinstallation project will invite essential conversations around inclusion and diversity now central to both public discourse and the daily work of arts organizations,” SAAM's Director, Stephanie Stebich, said in a statement. “It will shed new light on American artists whose voices will be more prominent in conversations about American art. I am delighted to partner with Annabelle Selldorf, along with our curatorial and interpretation teams, to refocus and revitalize our signature galleries and public spaces to showcase a multiplicity of perspectives and experiences and to better serve our ever-growing audiences.”

Work will be undertaken in several phases beginning in September. The firm is coming off of a year marred by criticisms of their proposed redesign of the Sainsbury Wing at the National Gallery in London. In an interview with Architectural Record recently, Selldorf addressed some of her detractors while providing useful insights as to her potential approach to this latest major cultural project.

“The interesting thing with adaptive reuse is you get to know buildings, existing buildings, as if they were people. And you discover their weaknesses and their strengths,” she said. “In that dialogue, you talk to the building as it was. What does it need to deliver in its new incarnation? Many times, especially with public buildings, the requirements are more focused on delivering some service to the people who come visit rather than keeping [the structures] as untouched monuments.”

A timeline for the project’s completion was not available at press time.