Buildings by TypeAdaptive Reuse and Renovation

Asian Art Museum

An historic library provides a setting for museum galleries.

Architects & Firms

HOK

People/Products

The significant challenge facing the design team was transforming a dark 1917 library into this well-lit museum with gallery space for both permanent and traveling exhibitions. Museum visitors are far more mobile then library patrons, requiring a modified circulation plan. To this end, the central court was given a new floor at ground level, the southeast side of the building now accommodates escalators, and the loggia and galleries open into the central court.

The addition of a skylit floor area at ground level provides a bright space for public gathering. This space accommodates assemblies for tours, entrance lines for special exhibitions, and public events. The central court is bisected by the historic grand staircase and loggia. Openings in the loggia allow views across the central court and from the north gallery wing to the south.

The historic façades are preserved and seismically reinforced with base isolation to defend the fragile displays occupying the majority of the museum, which is protected by the Beaux Arts Civic Center District Planning Code. Base isolation is minimally invasive to the historical fabric of the building while providing excellent protection.

People

Client
Asian Art Museum Commission & Foundation

Architect
HOK/LDA/RWA – A joint venture
– Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc. www.hok.com
– LDa Architects www.ldaarch.com
– Robert Wong Architect
– In association with Gae Aulenti

Design Principal:
Gae Aulenti, FAIA

Project Director:
Mark Otsea, AIA

Project Architect:
Mark Piaia, AIA

Specification:
Lou Williams, AIA

Project Team:
Vittoria Massa, Milena Archetti, Andres Grechi, Ben Wong, Roumel Butiong, Monica Szu-Whitney, Seiya Okata. Pam Lee, Heather Hart, Shoshana Signer, Hank Weaver, James Fong, Ken Loretto, David Hawthorne

Engineers
Structural:
– Forell Elsesser Engineers www.forell.com
– OLMM Structural
– Tennebaum-Manheim Engineers

M/E/P:
– Mazzetti Associates
– Mechanical Design Studio, Inc.
– POLA Electrical Engineers www.polainc.com

Civil:
AGS, Inc.

Consultants
Historical Architect:
Page & Turnbull www.page-turnbull.com

Landscape Architect:
Antonia Bava Landscape Architects

Lighting Designer:
Auerbach+Glasow

Exhibition Design:
George Sexton Associates

Construction Manager
LEM/DPR a joint venture

Photographer
Kaz Tsuruta

Products

Structural System
Metals:
Bostrom Bergen
Olson & Co. Steel

Exterior Cladding
Stone:
Sierra White; Cold Springs Granite www.coldspringgranite.com