I. M. pei’s brutalist everson museum of art renovated by studio MILLIØNS

MILLIØNS draws from I. M. pei’s brutalist architecture and its play of light and shadow.

kat barandy September 27, 2024 5 min

a Dialogue with I. M. Pei’s 1968-built everson museum of art

Los Angeles-based architecture studio MILLIØNS has completed a transformative renovation of the East Wing of the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York. The original museum, completed in 1968, was designed by beloved architect I. M. Pei and is celebrated for its significant collection of American ceramics. MILLIØNS’ redesign of the East Wing was driven by a commitment to expanding public access and integrating the museum’s functional ceramics collection into everyday use.

MILLIØNS won a two-stage international competition in 2019, which was organized in collaboration with Syracuse University’s School of Architecture. The competition initially focused on the design of a café to house a functional ceramics collection donated by Dallas-based collector Louise Rosenfield. However, architecture duo Zeina Koreitem and John May of MILLIØNS expanded the project beyond its original scope, proposing a comprehensive redesign of the museum’s entire East Wing. This broader vision convinced both Rosenfield and Everson Museum director Elizabeth Dunbar, ultimately leading to a larger renovation project.

everson museum art syracuse — MILLIØNS renovates the East Wing of the Everson Museum of Art | image © Iwan Baan

milliøns Integrates Art and Architecture in syracuse

Drawing inspiration from I. M. Pei’s Brutalist architecture, the design seeks to engage with the play of light and shadow that defines the Everson Museum of Art’s East Wing in Syracuse. The wing’s mostly below-grade position creates stark contrasts of darkness and light, which the architects at MILLIØNS addressed by introducing reflective and refractive materials. A central element of the design is a series of two-story glass towers that bring light into the space while housing the ceramics collection. These open-shelf towers allow visitors to use the ceramics, breaking down the traditional divide between art and public interaction.

A key conceptual focus of the redesign was to dissolve the rigid division between the museum’s public gallery spaces (Front of House) and its private, operational spaces (Back of House). MILLIØNS introduced the idea of a ‘third space, a hybrid area where storage, display, and maintenance activities coexist. This approach enhances transparency and invites visitors into a more immersive experience, allowing them to witness parts of the museum’s operation that are typically hidden.

Balancing Innovation and Preservation

Previously, the East Wing’s upper floor was accessible to the public, while the lower floor was restricted to staff use. MILLIØNS transformed the lower level into a semi-public area for events and exhibitions. In addition, the redesign includes a new research library and renovated staff offices, creating a functional and welcoming environment for both museum visitors and employees.

The redesign features several new display elements for Rosenfield’s ceramics collection, along with a furniture collaboration with designer Jonathan Olivares. Communal tables double as curatorial surfaces for displaying ceramics, blending the practical with the artistic. Outside, significant restoration efforts were undertaken on Pei’s original concrete facade, including cleaning and preserving the building’s distinctive pink-tinted concrete and replacing pavers to match the original design. MILLIØNS also designed new planters for the outdoor patio, creating an inviting space for café-goers.

MILLIØNS’ approach to adaptive reuse delicately balances innovation with respect for I. M. Pei’s original design. By introducing contemporary elements without overwhelming the building’s historic architecture, the studio aimed to enhance natural light and transform the East Wing, while maintaining deference to Pei’s vision. Their renovation thoughtfully integrates the new with the old, ensuring that the East Wing functions as a modern space while preserving its Brutalist heritage.

From the outset, MILLIØNS sought to differentiate the new design elements from the original structure. The architects introduced reflective, vibrant materials to contrast with Pei’s rough, desaturated textures, creating a tension between heavy and light materials. The design embraces a heliocentric approach, enhancing natural light through a carefully chosen palette of colors and surfaces.

The renovation uncovered unexpected details within Pei’s original materials, such as the pink-tinted concrete aggregate used throughout the museum. This discovery informed a more nuanced approach to color, which MILLIØNS complemented with gradient curtains designed in collaboration with Paris-based artist Justin Morin. These curtains, digitally printed in Zurich, draw inspiration from the ceramics collection itself, integrating the colors of the artwork into the fabric of the museum.