The Clark Art Institute - Museum Building

2014
Selldorf Architects / Gensler
Williamstown, MA

44,000 GSF

Museums & Galleries
Exhibitions
Restorations

As part of a major expansion and renovation project, the Clark Art Institute’s 1955 Museum Building was transformed into the principal home of the institution’s permanent collection. The focus of the renovation was to enhance the art viewing experience, reconfiguring galleries to create more space while subtly refining interior areas by simplifying details and installing a largely invisible state-of-the-art lighting system.

Here, RDG designed lighting schemes to complement the goals of the renovation and its various program criteria, upgrading skylights, re-designing laylights and installing a discrete system of track lighting to create a welcoming environment for viewing art.

Using a family of art quality track heads provides flexibility for lighting various artwork mediums throughout the museum. Wallwashers create a soft base layer of light at the art walls, with accent lights providing a more focused layer of light at individual artworks. RDG also worked on the extensive renovation of Pietro Belluschi’s 1973 Manton Research Center, connected to the Museum Building, utilizing the same restrained and precise approach to design.