The current campus, comprising five structures all built within the last thirty years, including two performance venues and a facility for its extensive education program, “is a collection of isolated buildings surrounded by parking,” says Weiss, rather than an ensemble. The architects instead envision a more cohesive assemblage that takes advantage of the institution’s proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the climate of Southwest Florida. They plan to transform much of the impervious outdoor space into stepped courtyards lushly planted with native vegetation, almost doubling the amount of permeable surface.

As part of the museum expansion, which is slated for completion by November 2019, Weiss/Manfredi has designed a robust stone-and-metal rainscreen facade, a multipurpose event space, a garden, and a sculpture terrace from which visitors will be able to enjoy sunsets over the Gulf. The timetable for implementing the rest of the master plan has not yet been set. “But we hope to keep the momentum going without having to pause to raise more funds,” says van Burgen. To date, $60 million has been raised.