civic + cultural legacy

Akron Art Museum Addition and Expansion

In collaboration with Coop Himmelb(l)au, Saam president and CEO Diana Nicklaus completed construction documentation for this high-profile museum. Over the last 20 years, increased public interest in Akron Art Museum’s exhibits and programs dictated a need for a larger space. Diana was project architect as part of the Architect of Record team and worked directly with the design architect on this high-profile project.

The museum’s new addition allows room for special exhibitions and increased facility space for educational workshops. Three elements comprise the structure of the expansion: the “Crystal,” a three-story glass encased lobby, the “Gallery Box,” a flexible gallery space that projects over portions of the lobby, and the “High Roof,” a floating armature that extends over both old and new portions of the building. Such a striking construction marks the building not only as an attractive destination, but also as a cultural, multi-use landmark.