ennead architects renovates the westmoreland museum of american art

ennead architects renovates the westmoreland museum of american art
image © aislinn weidele / ennead architects

new york-based firm ennead architects has completed the renovation and expansion of the westmoreland museum of american art in greensburg, pennsylvania. conceived as a counterpoint to the institution’s original neo-georgian structure, the design uses a simple palette of materials and textures — precast concrete, zinc, brick and glass — to unify the addition with the existing building. the project seeks to underscore the importance of the arts as well as the museum’s role in the community.

a zinc-clad cantilever extends from the new brick wing
image © roy engelbrecht

at the northern end of the site, the new brick wing reflects the symmetry of the original structure while sporting a zinc-clad cantilever. this volume houses both temporary and permanent exhibition galleries, with floor-to-ceiling glazing offering sweeping external views. perpendicular to the wing is a new southern façade that frames the original brick building with a two-story colonnade of slender columns. at the western end, an angled pre-cast plane highlights a commissioned sculpture by tim prentice, forming a focal point on the approach from downtown.

the protruding volume houses both temporary and permanent exhibition galleries
image © roy engelbrecht

the project reconfigures the museum’s interior spaces to establish an entry sequence that provides visual access throughout. a monumental stair connects the renovated lobby with an enlarged group entry and a new vehicular drop-off. a glass stair set within a double-height volume leads to both the upper level and the cantilevered addition. other spaces within the refreshed institution include a studio for children’s programs, a multi-purpose space for concerts, lectures, and community gatherings, as well as an informal café and consolidated administrative offices.

floor-to-ceiling glazing offers sweeping external views
image © aislinn weidele / ennead architects

from an environmental perspective, state-of-the-art mechanical systems are incorporated throughout, along with enhanced daylighting and views, locally-sourced materials, and a substantial reduction of exterior hardscape with the creation of the sculpture garden. additionally, the use of native and adaptive plantings eliminates the need for irrigation. a new sculpture garden by laquatra bonci extends the museum beyond the walls of the building, with the expansion framing the landscape below.

the interactive center for creative connections
image © roy engelbrecht

the project reconfigures the museum’s interior spaces
image © roy engelbrecht

view looking out along the southern façade from the second storey gallery
image © roy engelbrecht

circulation space within the double-height stairwell
image © aislinn weidele / ennead architects

landscaping seeks to extend the museum beyond the walls of the building
image © roy engelbrecht

site plan indicating the scale of the project
image © ennead architects

project info:

architect: ennead architects
location: greensburg, pennsylvania, USA
design partner: susan t. rodriguez FAIA
management partner: timothy hartung FAIA
project manager: joshua frankel AIA
project architect: colin davis AIA
senior technical designer: gary anderson AIA
design team: jesica bello, rebecca dion, brad groff AIA, dalia hamati, kate kulpa AIA, LEED AP, joerg kiesow, brian masuda AIA, nikita payusov, jacob reidel

consultants
structural: robert silman associates
MEP / FP: altieri sebor wieber
lighting: brandston partnership
civil: H.F. lenz company
elevator: IROS elevator
AV / IT / acoustics / security: the sextant group
sustainability: YR & G
specifications: construction specifications, inc.
landscape: laquatra bonci associates
life safety: hughes associate inc.
cost: blundall associates, inc.
construction manager: spaulding banks project management, inc.