david chipperfield's extension of st louis art museum opens

david chipperfield architects SLAM ‘east building’
photo by jacob sharp
image courtesy of saint louis art museum and architectural wall systems

“dedicated to art and free to all.”

designed by david chipperfield architects with technical assistance from st. louis-based hok, the east building increases gallery and public space by 30 percent with 21 new galleries for the collection and temporary exhibitions. the inaugural exhibitions in the east building feature some 230 works from the museum’s extensive holdings of postwar german art and american art. twenty-five percent of the works have not been on view for at least 20 years. the expansion project has also enabled the renovation and reinstallation of the museum’s iconic 1904 main building designed by cass gilbert. more than 1,450 works of art have been reinstalled in 68 galleries; approximately one-third of these works have not been on view for at least 20 years.

the new ‘east building’ seen from fine arts drive (north facade)
photo by jacob sharp
image courtesy of saint louis art museum and architectural wall systems

‘east building’ as seen from the east
photo by jacob sharp
image courtesy of saint louis art museum and architectural wall systems

david chipperfield’s design for the more than 200,000-square-foot east building presents a contemporary counterpart to the museum’s neo-classical 1904 main building. awarded leed gold status by the u.s. green building council, the design organically links the two buildings, and a new grand stair provides a seamless transition between the main and the lower-level galleries and visitor amenities. museum visitors may use the fully accessible new entrance to the east building or the existing sculpture hall entrance to the main building, where the original floor plan has been restored as part of the expansion project. the façade of the east building features floor-to-ceiling windows and 23 monumental panels of dark polished concrete, with highlights of missouri river aggregates. inside the galleries, innovative coffered ceilings made of light concrete provide abundant but controlled natural light, supplemented with artificial illumination which is managed by a computerized sensor system that automatically adjusts to changing light levels throughout the day. wide-plank white oak floors and stainless steel floor vents are designed to provide a distraction-free setting for the works of art.

looking north through the ‘east building’ before art was installed
photo © simon menges
image courtesy of saint louis art museum