The Portland Museum of Art (PMA) in Maine and architect selection firm Dovetail Design Strategists have chosen a four-team shortlist for an extension and campus unification programme at the gallery.
In all, 104 teams from 20 countries entered the competition.
The final four teams are:
- Adjaye Associates with KMA, Michael Boucher Landscape Architecture, Atelier Ten, and 2×4;
- Lever Architecture with Unknown Studio, Chris Newell – Akomawt Educational Initiative, Openbox, Once-Future Office, Atelier Ten, and Studio Pacifica;
- Mvrdv with Stoss, the Institute for Human Centered Design, Pentagram, Atelier Ten, and Dvdl;
- Toshiko Mori Architect + Johnston Marklee + Preston Scott Cohen with Hargreaves Jones, Cross Cultural Community Services, WeShouldDoItAll, Buro Happold Consulting Engineers, and Arup.
The project will unify the current campus in downtown Portland with a new 60,000 sq ft building that will increase the museum’s capacity by up to 500,000 visitors a year.
Kyo Bannai, PMA Board member, said: “It was vital to us as members of the Selection Committee to ensure our unique character as a region was considered in the submissions.
“Portland and Maine are international destinations and proudly welcome visitors from around the world, yet this is due to a recognisable, evolving, and renowned cultural landscape that must be elevated and sustained through this new landmark building and competition.”
Mark H.C. Bessire, PMA’s Judy and Leonard Lauder Director, said: “Our aspirations as a cultural institution are far greater than simply ‘building a building’, and when we launched the competition, we were curious to see if our colleagues in the architectural world were equally interested in the paradigm shift we were imagining. Turns out, they were.”
A jury comprising community members, museum stakeholders and architects will decide a winning team by the close of 2022, following stages for concept designs and a public display and comment period.
The PMA’s 22,000-strong collection dates from the 18th century to the present day, with works from Magritte, Monet and Picasso.
