DP
design profile
Allentown Art Museum Renovation and Expansion
VSBA, LLC
The Allentown Art Museum, a vibrant regional center for the visual arts, is home to collections and special exhibitions of impressive variety and quality.
context | WI2013/14 | 32
It’s located on a downtown block adjacent to the Baum Art School and overlooks the Allentown Arts Park, a focus of the city’s Art District. Housed since 1959 in a former church with a stately neoclassical facade, the museum was significantly expanded and reorganized in 1975. This addition placed the museum entrance within a landscaped setback, abandoning the portico entrance. Above, the addition was windowless. The overall effect did little to celebrate the urban vitality of the museum. After assisting in program development,
VSBA was charged with renovating existing galleries and adding much needed space for new galleries, education facilities, and collection storage, as well as new visitor amenities including a café, museum shop, and reception lobby. Of particular importance was strengthening the museum’s civic identity and engagement with the surrounding community, especially in light of the recently completed Arts Park across the street. VSBA’s three-story addition fills the setback in front of the 1975 wing and returns the entry to the portico. A new metal, glass,