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International project
Westmoreland Museum
frames the original brick building with a two-story
colonnade of slender paired columns along its entire
length. At the western end of the building, an angled
pre-cast plane frames a commissioned sculpture by
Tim Prentice, forming a focal point as one approaches
the building from downtown along Main Street.
A subtle, angled opening cut into the solid brick
plane along the Main Street façade filters light into
the building and suggests of the geometry of the
cantilever and the new gallery sequence.
The design reconfigures the interior spaces of the
existing Museum to establish a new entry sequence
that provides visual access through the building
linking north and south entries. A monumental stair
connects the renovated lobby to an enlarged group
entry and a new vehicular drop-off. The lobby is
framed by a new Museum shop and an introductory
gallery. A glass stair set within a new double-height
volume leads to the upper level and the cantilever
gallery addition. An expanded sequence and range of
galleries with views to the exterior unifies the interior
spaces and connects the collection to its context.
Additionally, a series of small-scale interventions
within the existing building reinforces the underlying
geometric language of the cantilever addition.
Other spaces within the renewed Museum include
a studio for children’s programs, a multi-purpose
space for concerts, lectures, community gatherings
and private events, as well as an informal café
and consolidated administrative offices to foster
interaction amongst the staff.
Sustainability is integral to the project, with state-ofthe-art mechanical systems incorporated throughout,
along with enhanced daylighting and views, locallysourced materials and a substantial reduction of
exterior hardscape with the creation of the sculpture
garden. Use of native and adaptive plantings
eliminates the need for irrigation. The addition is
designed to achieve LEED Silver certification.
“It had always been our aim to create a building that
enhances the Museum’s position as a 21st-century
beacon for the arts — both in the local community
and as a revived cultural icon for the region at
large,” states Ennead partner Timothy Hartung.
“Having grown up in the area,” he adds, “it is also
a personal honour to return and to be part of The
Westmoreland’s future.”
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