restoration resumes at donald judd's architecture office after major fire in texas

Judd Foundation resumes restoration following 2021 fire

The Judd Foundation announced plans for completing the restoration and rebuilding of American artist Donald Judd’s Architecture Office after being halted by a fire in June 2021. One of eleven buildings associated with Judd in Marfa, Texas, recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, the Architecture Office will open to the public in September 2025, implementing the original restoration plans, which primarily focused on the stabilization of the historic structure and the protection of the works it houses. The first phase, from 2018 to 2019, restored the building envelope using traditional masonry techniques to repair and repoint the brick facade while maintaining its original aesthetic. The second phase, which began in 2019 and was near completion at the time of the fire, addressed the interior spaces and focused on preserving historic details and materials. The final construction phase will continue through 2024, followed by reinstallation of the building’s collection in mid-2025.

‘What Don made was about the here and now—about how the built environment is made with thought. The Architecture Office allows one to experience that idea and see the materials Don used to make it, to see his thinking‘ notes Flavin Judd, artistic director of Judd Foundation. ‘He believed that the preservation of art and architecture is the preservation of history, and that the ability to experience a culture physically is the best way to understand it.’

all images © Matthew Millman | @matthewmillmanphoto

the story of donald Judd’s architecture office in texas

Donald Judd (see more here) purchased the Glascock Building on Highland Avenue in downtown Marfa in 1990. Built at the turn of the 20th century, the 5,000-square-foot building was initially operated as a store and later housed various commercial businesses. Sited in direct proximity to his Architecture Studio, the street level of this two-story structure was renovated by Judd for use as his Architecture Office. The Architecture Office is a primary example of Judd’s repurposing of existing buildings and restoring historic structures in New York and Texas. The Architecture Office contains furniture and objects designed by Judd, as well as plans and models of his architectural projects in the US and Europe, including the Basel Bahnhof and his former Swiss residence, Eichholteren. Judd intended for the second floor to be a living space for guests. The largest of these spaces was intended to permanently house six paintings by John Chamberlain and furniture by Alvar Aalto. Judd Foundation will complete these plans as part of the restoration and rebuilding. 

Donald Judd’s Architecture Office in Marfa, Texas

Throughout the restoration and reconstruction of the Donald Judd Architecture Office, the Foundation, together with project architects SCHAUM/SHIEH, has utilized energy efficiency systems and sustainable materials that will improve the building’s performance while retaining its historic character. These include insulated glazing within traditional wood sash windows to shield against temperature extremes and recycled insulation to mitigate heat gain and loss. A passive outdoor air-cooling system in the ground floor office will harness the inherent swings in Marfa’s desert climate to stabilize the building’s indoor environment. New solar panels on the roof will provide for the building’s daily electrical load.

The Architecture Office is one of six major projects in the Judd Foundation’s long-term restoration plan for its buildings in Texas. Once restored, it will open as part of its public guided-visit program, providing access to the permanently installed working space that contains architectural models, building plans, design prototypes, and Judd’s furniture. A permanently installed living space on the building’s second floor, with paintings by John Chamberlain and furniture by Alvar Aalto, will open to the public for the first time. The restoration will further provide new program spaces for the Foundation and accommodation for visiting researchers and staff.

Judd Foundation will celebrate the opening of the Architecture Office on Saturday, September 20, 2025. The daylong event will include an open house along with a community celebration. The opening will be accompanied by a series of engaging public programs and special extended hours, which will be announced at a later date. This follows the historic restoration of Judd’s building at 101 Spring Street in New York, completed in 2013, which provided the model for the contextual approach, rigorous attention to detail, and commitment to quality employed for this project. 

the space will contain Judd’s architectural models, building plans, design prototypes, and furniture

project info:

name: Donald Judd Architecture Office by Judd Foundation | @juddfoundation

location: Marfa, Texas

architect: SCHAUM/SHIEH | @schaumshieh (Troy Schaum, Rosalyne Shieh, Andrea Brennan, Ian Searcy, Tucker Douglas, Ane Gonzalez Lara, Tsvetelina Zdraveva, Ryan Botts, Anneli Rice, Zhiyi Chen, Ekin Erar)

historic masonry consultant: Alpha Masonry (Sotirios Kotoulas, Kostas Kotoulas, Antonio Guerreiro)

MEP engineers: GK Engineers (Davia Gernand), KCI Technologies (Nicholas Badke)

historic building consultant: Higgins Quasebarth & Partners (Cas Stachelberg, Jonathan Taylor)
historic carpentry: High Desert Woodworks (Jon Antonides)

environmental, preservation & conservation consultant: Image Permanence Institute
(Kelly Krish, Christopher Cameron)
general contractors: Method Construction (Kyle Melgaard, Jimmy Magliozzi), RC Concepts
(Juan Martinez, Jose Martinez)

engineers: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (Nathaniel Smith), Silman (Jennifer Chan, Pat Arnett)

energy engineer: Transsolar KlimaEngineering (Erik Olsen)