hirshhorn museum unveils new info on hiroshi sugimoto’s sculpture garden revitalization

after announcing its plans to have its sculpture garden redesigned by japanese artist and architect hiroshi sugimoto, the hirshhorn museum in washington D.C. has now unveiled additional information and renderings of the proposed revitalization. on march 10th, the hirshhorn held an online meeting, giving viewers the opportunity to learn about the project’s progress and latest updates. sugimoto‘s design will be the second extensive refurbishment of the garden, and according to museum leaders, plans ‘will enable the hirshhorn campus to support the museum’s mission and its expanded programming and collections, as well as enhance visitor experience and address critical infrastructure needs’.

all images courtesy of hirshhorn museum and sculpture garden

through hiroshi sugimoto‘s redesign, the hirshhorn museum which is part of the smithsonian institution, intends to utilize the new garden in order to increase the display of its modern sculpture collection by almost 50%. in an attempt to respond and adapt to changes in art-making by creating dynamic galleries for the presentation of performance art, large-format sculpture, and site-specific installations, sugimoto has proposed extending the pre-existing reflecting pool built and adding a platform that can be used to exhibit sculpture and stage performance art. museum officials expect that the expanded water feature will also help attract visitors from the neighboring national mall.

the project hopes to re-establish the cohesiveness of the sculpture garden, the plaza, and the museum as a single, interconnected campus. this involves the creation of a new ‘front door’ on the national mall that welcomes guests by widening sightlines into the sculpture garden, while improving accessibility, shade, and seating. the architect has suggested the installation of a stacked stone element that improves the garden acoustics, while serving as a focal point and providing a distinctive backdrop for performance art and sculpture. the stone wall element is meant to dialogue with the sculpture garden’s existing concrete walls, enriching the materiality of the project. the public will have the opportunity to see a mockup of the stacked stone element during a meeting planned for the near future.

museum officials expect to submit a final design to the national capital planning commission (NCPC) and commission of fine arts (CFA) for review and approval sometime in 2021.

project info:

name: the hirshhorn’s sculpture garden
location: washington, DC
institution: hirshhorn museum and sculpture garden
design: hiroshi sugimoto

more information about the sculpture garden revitalization can be found here.