tadao ando connects the clark institute with new visitor center

tadao ando connects the clark institute with new visitor center
image courtesy of tadao ando architect & associates

plans have been unveiled for a tadao ando designed visitor center at the clark art institute in massachusetts, USA. the building forms part of a large scale redevelopment at the site, which was masterplanned by cooper robertson & partners in 2001. the overall scheme will transform the campus, providing over 97,000 square feet of additional floor space and improving the gallery’s circulation routes. part of the museum’s final phase of development, the building is ando’s second project at the clark, after his ‘stone hill center’ was completed in 2008.

clark campus from stone hill, indicating the scale of the reflecting pool
image courtesy of tadao ando architect & associates

the two storey visitor center provides over 11,000 square feet of exhibition space, with three individual galleries located at subterranean level. a glass and concrete corridor connects the design with the main museum, which is currently being renovated by selldorf architects, forming a new entrance. tadao ando’s extension primarily offers conference, seminar and event space, with extensive dining facilities housed alongside the site’s new and expanded gift shop.

visitor center and reflecting pool
image courtesy of tadao ando architect & associates

the structure’s outdoor terraces surround a tiered reflecting pool, creating a tranquil and calming ambiance. forming the focal point of the landscaped grounds, the feature, developed by reed hilderbrand visually and physically connects the site, with a raised pathway traversing the pool. the feature also contributes to the scheme’s overall sustainability, part of an advanced hydrological plan reducing water consumption by 50%. levels are maintained by accommodating precipitation, while permeable parking surfaces capture rainfall, feeding an on-site reservoir which optimizes water levels.

the lower level of the visitor center
image courtesy of tadao ando architect & associates

staircase leading to the subterranean level of the center
image courtesy of tadao ando architect & associates

the clark visitor center at night
image courtesy of tadao ando architect & associates

(left) visitor center under construction, september, 2013
(right) detail of visitor center granite and architectural concrete walls, september 2013
photos © richard pare

the ‘stone hill center’ completed in 2008, also designed by ando
photo courtesy of the clark institute

the ‘stone hill center’, located at the southern end of the clark campus, was completed by tadao ando in 2008, marking the first phase of the clark’s expansion. situated on a hillside embankment, the building forms an extension of the museum, housing intimately scaled galleries, a studio art classroom and a communal meeting space. a terrace offers impressive views of the region’s taconic mountain range, while the scheme is integrated within its environment through a series of woodland trails. the dual level structure is constructed from concrete, ando’s material of choice, and is complemented with wooden detailing and glazed façades.

gallery space is intimately scaled
photo courtesy of the clark institute