herzog & de meuron: new plan for the parrish art museum

the new design of parrish art museum by herzog & de meuron image courtesy herzog & de meuron

the parrish art museum unveiled a re-conceptualized design for its new museum by herzog & de meuron in water mill, hampton, USA.

the building will provide more than 37,300 square feet of highly efficient space, which is nearly twice the size of the existing museum. with 12,000 square feet of unencumbered flexible galleries, including the first galleries dedicated to displaying the museum’s important permanent collection, the design more than doubles the parrish’s current exhibition space. the museum will also include educational and multi-purpose spaces, a spacious and light-filled lobby, and a café and kitchen. the design incorporates administrative offices and on-site space for storage and care of the permanent collection.

the proposed new parrish will be a horizontal structure constructed on a 14-acre site nestled discretely in the landscape, consisting of two parallel wings joined by a central circulation spine running the length of the building. to take advantage of natural northern light the building is placed on the site in a strict north-south orientation. the poured-in-place concrete walls are deeply recessed under a long and elegant white corrugated metal roof and will incorporate large sections of glass that permit views through the museum and into the surrounding landscape.

‘the new project is in a way a more radical and simplified version of our original design for the parrish,’ said architect jacques herzog. ‘its clarity in concept, in combination with straightforward construction details and building materials, can be seen as a process of purification in immediate response to the museum’s newly defined brief. our proposal to collaborate from the beginning with local contractors on the realization of our ideas proved to be an extremely efficient and rewarding process for us as well as for the project.’

rendering of one of the parrish art museum’s galleries image courtesy herzog & de meuron