Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont is one of North America’s finest, most diverse and unconventional museums of art, design and Americana. Over 150,000 works are exhibited in a remarkable setting of 39 exhibition buildings, 25 of which are historic and were relocated to the Museum grounds.
Ann Beha Architects’ design for Shelburne’s new center for art and education establishes a striking presence along Vermont’s Route 7. This project is part of the Museum’s $14M capital campaign. Construction is tentatively planned to start next year with the center opening in 2013.
Adding to the resources at the Museum’s entry, this contemporary new building showcases collections and serves new educational initiatives. With its companions—the entry / shop building and historic round barn—the ensemble frames a gateway to the Museum experience.
Set on the site’s open and natural landscape, this building offers long vistas of the Museum campus against a backdrop of the Adirondack Mountains. The new center plays a critical role in promoting audience engagement, interpretation, special exhibition and year-round programming.
DESIGN TEAM Ann Beha Architects is engaged in contemporary design in the context of historic settings. Based in Boston and practicing nationally, ABA has led planning and design projects for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut; the Currier Museum of Art in New Hampshire; the Portland Art Museum in Oregon; the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens in Florida; the National Women’s Hall of Fame in New York; and the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in California. The firm’s recognition stems from its long advocacy for the re-use and reinterpretation of landmark buildings, and its integration of new design expression in historic settings.
ABA’s museum projects have been nationally published and honored, with awards from the American Institute of Architects and its Chapters, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and preservation and design groups throughout the nation. In 2011, ABA was named one of the “Top Five” practices in the United States by ARCHITECT Magazine, cited for its accomplishments, expertise and leadership in design, sustainability, and practice.
Architects: Ann Beha Architects Location: Shelburne, Vermont Project Team: Thomas M. Hotaling AIA, LEED AP, Principal in Charge, Ann M. Beha FAIA, Collaborating Principal, Steven G. Gerrard AIA, Project Manager / Architect, Chin Chin Yao, Designer Landscape Architect: H. Keith Wagner Partnership Structural Engineer: Engineering Ventures MEP/FP Engineer: Altieri Sebor Wieber Civil Engineer: Civil Engineering Associates Lighting Designer: Sladen Feinstein Integrated Lighting LEED Consultant: GreenLeaf Specifications: Kalin Associates Construction Manager: PC Construction Company
Text provided by Ann Beha Architects
