Ground broke this month on an expansion to a museum that holds more than 7,000 pieces of art. The architecture firm Foster + Partners designed a new West Wing for the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Fla.
The renovations include 12,000 sf of new gallery space, a 210-seat auditorium, two new classrooms, a student gallery, and a family gallery, which will have a 150-foot-long colonnade with large windows that look out onto the surrounding garden.
A new 3,600-sf, 43-foot-tall “great hall” will serve as a gathering spot at the center of the building.
Outside, 20,000 sf of lawns and plantings will replace an existing parking lot, and part of that area will be a 9,000-sf event lawn that will host parties. The designers call the concept “a museum in a garden.”
“The new extension of the museum represents an exciting opportunity to place the reinvigorated Norton at the heart of Florida’s cultural life and to establish its international presence, allowing more people to enjoy the museum’s very special collection,” Norman Foster, Founder and Chairman, Foster + Partners, said in a statement.
“Reinforcing its natural setting with a ‘museum in a garden,’ our aim has been to restore a sense of clarity to the existing building by reasserting the logic of the original plan; creating new event and visitor spaces that will transform the museum into the social heart of the community; as well as increasing the gallery and exhibition spaces, to engage with a wider audience, both local and national.”
The museum, which contains paintings from Vincent van Gogh and Edgar Degas along with other contemporary art and photography, was built in 1941. A 45,000-sf expansion in 2003 made the museum the largest in the state.
The "great hall" will serve as a lounge that can host events.
Added green space will make the Norton a “a museum in a garden.”
Related Stories
Museums | May 19, 2021
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame opens after $25 million renovation
CambridgeSeven designed the project.
Wood | May 14, 2021
What's next for mass timber design?
An architect who has worked on some of the nation's largest and most significant mass timber construction projects shares his thoughts on the latest design trends and innovations in mass timber.
Education Facilities | May 3, 2021
Khor Kalba Turtle and Wildlife Sanctuary completes in the United Arab Emirates
Hopkins Architects designed the project.
Museums | Apr 27, 2021
GWWO Architects unveils design of the new Niagara Falls Visitor Center
The project will replace the current outdated and cramped facility.
Market Data | Feb 24, 2021
2021 won’t be a growth year for construction spending, says latest JLL forecast
Predicts second-half improvement toward normalization next year.
Museums | Jan 28, 2021
Arkansas Arts Center to undergo $142 million transformation into the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
Studio Gang is designing the project.
Reconstruction Awards | Dec 29, 2020
The reenvisioned Sazerac House: A delectable cocktail that's just perfect for the Big Easy
The 51,987-sf Sazerac House is an interactive cocktail museum, active distillery, corporate headquarters, and event venue, all under one roof, next to the historic French Quarter of New Orleans.
Giants 400 | Dec 16, 2020
Download a PDF of all 2020 Giants 400 Rankings
This 70-page PDF features AEC firm rankings across 51 building sectors, disciplines, and specialty services.
Museums | Nov 16, 2020
Design of the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum unveiled
Reed Hilderbrand and Trahan Architects designed the project.