Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) has been selected by Discovery Place and the City of Charlotte to design the new Discovery Place Science center in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. Partnering with architect-of-record Jenkins•Peer Architects (J•PA), the team will create a masterplan and conceptual design for the museum, one of the state's most popular cultural attractions.
The 4-acre Discovery Place Science campus is located on North Tyron Street within the boundaries of the recently-approved North Tyron Vision Plan. The new master plan will consider how a reimagined museum could interact with the existing streetscape and spur the growth of STEM education in the area. The architect team will work closely with the community to develop a plan that will assess current and future needs while providing new educational and immersive opportunities to the community. The plan will include replacing or upgrading the existing Discovery Place building, which opened in 1981.
“DS+R is one of the world’s leading architectural design firms, well-known for their urban place-making as well as major civic and cultural buildings and campuses,” said Catherine Wilson Horne, president and CEO, Discovery Place. “We believe they bring a global perspective that will help define the North Tryon district as Charlotte’s center where curiosity begins, knowledge is advanced and innovation lives. We are delighted to partner with them and can’t wait to begin imagining new ways for our community to experience science.”
The project's planning process is expected to begin in January, with delivery by late 2018.
The Discovery Place masterplan is the second high-profile project to be announced in recent weeks for the city of Charlotte, following the selection of Snøhetta and Clark Nexsen as designers of the New Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.
