Project :: 464 : Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Introduction

"One of the brilliant things that the museum did - they chose an architect who, in his previous museum buildings, had done great things to marry new buildings with traditional existing buildings but doing it in such a way that transparency becomes a major watchword. The architecture is all about transparency from the outside to the inside - people in the Boulevard can see everything that is going on. Rick Mather is brilliant in how he designs the building's space..."

Alex Nyerges
Director of the VMFA

 

"Rick Mather's design will provide Virginians with a work of contemporary architecture that will showcase VMFA's extensive collection of world art. His virtuoso handling of transparency and natural light will function as both a tool and a metaphor to open the museum to its surroundings in the historical museum district and create an inspiring atmosphere in which to view art."

Michael Brand
Former VMFA Director 2000 - 2005

Description

Rick Mather Architects were selected from an international field of competitors in 2001 to masterplan and design a major expansion and renovation of this highly reputed, 65 year old encyclopedic museum and its 5.5 hectare (13.5 acre) campus. This marks the office's first major commission in the United States. The project was delivered in collaboration with SMBW Architects, a Richmond-based firm.

The expansion plan adds more than 9300m² (100,000 sq.ft) to the existing 22300m² (240,000 sq.ft) building. Completed in April 2010, the new museum complex includes a 1.6 hectare (4 acre) sculpture garden, extensive new galleries, educational facilities, restaurant, cafe, library, administrative offices and a landscaped, terraced parking deck.

The approach opens the main VMFA building up to the city and provides extensive new space for the museum's art collections. The new five level glass and limestone entrance wing features two floors of permanent collection galleries, including American art from the James W and Frances G McGlothlin collection and the J Harwood and Louise B Cochrane Fund, the museum's twenty-first century collection, and one of the US's leading collections of art from India, Nepal and Tibet. A dedicated temporary exhibitions gallery level is capable of housing major international travelling shows. In addition, the new wing holds a library, gift shop, conservation facilities, a 150 seat lecture hall, offices, and a cafe and restaurant overlooking the sculpture garden. The new wing is linked to the existing building by glass bridges across the central atrium space, acting as a main street that connects new and existing over three levels. Work to the existing building includes a new education centre, and the reconfiguration of existing galleries housing the Sydney and Frances Lewis Collections of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Modern and Contemporary American art, and the Museum's Ancient Art Collection.

The VMFA's purpose is announced to the city by a 12m (40 ft) high window facing the Boulevard, displaying pieces from the museum's collection. From inside there are views towards downtown, which is visible for the first time from the museum site. The new Entrance Plaza acts as a square onto the main street, bringing the public to the new E Claiborne and Lora Robins Sculpture Garden and completing the vision of this campus masterplan.

 

Awards

2004

Architectural Review / MIPIM Future Projects Award

Press

Wall Street Journal
Virginia is for Art Lovers
Lee Rosenbaum - 1 Jul 10

Building Design
Mather's sweet Virginia
7 May 10

Apollo
Letting in the light
Philippa Glanville - May 10

Richmond Times Dispatch
VMFA will reveal a fully transformed art space
Roy Proctor - 26 Apr 10

Style Weekly
Working on a building
Peter Galuszka - 30 Mar 10

Style Weekly
Behind the scenes - VMFA hard hat tour
Jason Roop - 30 Mar 10

Style Weekly
Branded Man
Martha Steger - 30 Mar 10

Style Weekly
Let the sunshine in
Don Harrison - 30 Mar 10

Artdaily.com
VMFA takes shape
11 Jan 10

Artdaily.com
Virginia Museum - newly transformed - is poised to extend its international reach
12 Oct 09

Museum Practice Magazine
Clear Vision
Javier Pes - Summer 2009

VMFA Press Office
VMFA Director is named to Head J.Paul Getty Museum
15 Aug 05

The Art Newspaper
Virginia gets $ 100 million gift in American Art
Jason Edward Kaufman - 22 Jul 05

The New York Times
In Richmond a museum aims for the big leagues
Adam Goodheart - April 03

Style Weekly
Invisible Buildings
Edwin Slipek Jr - 4 Dec?01

Architectural Record
Mather selected for Virginia Museum of Fine Art expansion
John Czarnecki - 29 Nov 01

Metro & Virginia Richmond Times
Londoner picked for job - reputation built on use of glass
Roy Proctor- 29 Nov 01

The Art Newspaper
Three US museums appoint celebrity architects
11 Dec 01

The Washington Post?
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts selects project designer
Banjamin Forgey - 29 Nov 01

Building Design
Mather wins US job
7 Jan 01

Architects' Journal
Rick Mather wins in?US
7 Jan 01

Building Design
Mather wins Virginia job
11 April 03

Architectural Record
Mather design unveiled for Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
May 03

Building
We're the Brits in America
Naomi Stungo - 7 Jan 01

Details

Client
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Location
Richmond VA USA

Size
165,000 sq.ft./15,330m² New Build
42,000 sq.ft./3,900m² Renovation
4 acre Sculpture Garden
600 space Landscaped Parking Deck
(170,000 sq.ft./15,800m²)

Value
$150m
Commonwealth of Virginia contract

Completed
April 2010

Supported by
The Commonwealth of Virginia

  • Started : 2002-05-01
  • Completed : 2010-04-30
  • Country : USA
  • County : Virginia
  • City : Richmond
  • m2 : 15330