The Blanton Museum of Art building project, Modern Texas architecture images, USA property

The Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas

July 17, 2024

Architects: Snøhetta

Location: Austin, Texas, USA

Blanton Museum of Art, Austin, Texas building

Photos by Casey Dunn

The Blanton Museum of Art, USA

The Blanton Museum of Art Austin Texas

The Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas, has just completed a multi-year, $35 million renovation of its sprawling 200,000 square foot grounds by Snøhetta. The Museum announced the grounds renovations in 2021, and though the site was never closed to the public during works, they have just now come to completion.

The Blanton Museum of Art Austin

Snøhetta was brought on by the museum director, Simone Wicha, who over her 10+ years leadership has transformed the Blanton into a leading US Museum, working closely with Ellsworth Kelly and his husband to construct Austin (the only building ever designed by the artist), establishing a curatorial position for Latino Art and pushing for a thought-provoking program of exhibitions tackling urgent themes–from climate change and jobs artists are forced to do to pay their bills, to Native American identity.

The Blanton Museum of Art Texas USA

The Blanton Museum of Art Austin USA

For Wicha, it was a top priority to create a cohesive and creative museum environment – inside and out – where people could gather, be inspired, enjoy art, and linger. She also sought to connect the museum’s two buildings and Austin with the city at large.

The Blanton Museum of Art Austin Texas

Snøhetta’s design provides a monumental entrance to the museum that unifies and revitalizes all the existing elements. The centerpiece of the new grounds is a series of petal-shaped sculptures rising 40 feet tall, which were informed by the arches of the loggia that run along the museum.

The Blanton Museum of Art Austin USA

They create a shaded microclimate dappled with light and protected from Texas’s extreme heat, while also acting as giant rain catchers, capturing water and filtering it down through the column to an underground filtration system.

The Blanton Museum of Art Austin USA

These structures are completed by walkways and gardens, where more than 25,000 new plants have been added – 95% of which are native to the state, like the dwarf palmetto, Texas gold columbine, and Cherokee sedge.

The Blanton Museum of Art Texas USA

The new design beautifully connects the Blanton’s campus, highlighting site-specific art installations like Kelly’s Austin, Carmen Herrera’s mural – her only major public commission and largest piece – and Bill Fontana’s sound art.

The Blanton Museum of Art Austin

This renovation exemplifies the Blanton’s evolution, and it goes hand in hand with the city’s quick growth into a major tech hub thanks to the influx of Silicon Valley giants like Apple, Amazon, Google, and Tesla, which moved their businesses there looking for lower taxes.

The Blanton Museum of Art Austin Texas The Blanton Museum of Art Texas USA

Photography: Casey Dunn

Snøhetta

The Blanton Museum of Art Texas USA

The Blanton Museum of Art, Austin, Texas images / information received 170724 from Snøhetta architects studio

Architecture: Snøhetta – https://www.snohetta.com/

Location: Austin, Texas, United States of America

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