New York-based architectural firm Hollwich Kushner (HWKN) has been selected to design the $3 million campus expansion for Bard College’s Center for Curatorial Studies. The prestigious art and design institute is a leading educational center dedicated to the study of art, and often collaborates with major starchitects such as Frank Gehry and Rafael Viñoly, so it’s only fitting that their new space be designed by one of NYC’s premier architectural firms.
The $3 million expansion will provide the college with an extensive 3,600-square-foot Archives, Special Collections, Visible Storage, and Collection Teaching area designed by artist Liam Gillick in collaboration with HWKN. The community area will also include artwork by artist Sol LeWittand and two new wall vinyl acquisitions by Louise Lawler. As part of the expansion, the campus will also be equipped with a new light-filled library, which will house over 60,000 volumes, making it one of the preeminent libraries of contemporary art in America.
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As HWKN’s New York design portfolio is quite diverse, it’s no surprise that the firm would collaborate with one of the city’s most distinguished learning environments for the research and practice of contemporary art and curatorship. Matthias Hollwich, Principal of HWKN, explained the design strategy and collaboration behind the project. “CCS Bard houses one of the most impressive contemporary art collections in the world therefore our approach was to ensure the collection was both extremely accessible and at the core of the visitor experience,” he said. “With the college faculty and artist Liam Gillick we have found new ways for visitors to engage with art even when it may not be formally on display.”
The Hessel Museum of Art and CCS Bard Library and Archives will remain closed during the construction and are slated to reopen this fall.
+ Bard Center for Curatorial Studies
