New York, NY
Studio Museum of Harlem
Scope/Solutions
The Studio Museum in Harlem was operating in a 1929 bank building that no longer met their programming requirements for showcasing works by artists of African descent. To accommodate their current needs and future growth, the museum commissioned a new building designed by Adjaye Associates and Cooper Robertson that doubles its exhibition space and stands as a cultural anchor for the community. Working with Guy Nordenson and Associates, SGH designed the structure for the new building and served as the structural engineer of record for the project.
Partnering with Guy Nordenson and Associates, SGH designed the new five-story structure and prepared construction documents. Highlights of the design include:
- A six-story steel structure supported on a concrete mat foundation and clad with architectural precast concrete panels interspersed with areas of curtain walls
- A lateral-load-resisting system comprising a combination of moment and braced frames
- Galleries with column-free spans up to 50 ft to maximize flexibility
- A five-story, steel-framed, terrazzo-clad atrium stair in an 85 ft tall vertical art gallery
- A rooftop terrace space for gathering and exhibits with a 35 ft cantilevered canopy
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Project Summary
2024
Completion Date
175M
Construction Value
85k
Project Size
Solutions
New Construction
Services
Structures
Markets
Culture & Entertainment
Client(s)
Cooper Robertson
Key team members
Additional Projects
Northeast
The Lucas, 140 Shawmut Avenue
Preservation and renovation of the exterior walls, tower, and certain windows of the church and rectory led to a design that beautifully blends historical mass masonry with a modern addition and interiors. SGH consulted on the building enclosure design for the adaptive reuse project.
Northeast
2013 Design Biennial Boston, BSA Space, Helix Stair
Envisioned and developed by Matter Design for the third Design Biennial Boston, Helix is a half-scale, unreinforced, custom-fabricated, concrete spiral staircase. SGH collaborated with Matter Design on material analysis, structural design and detailing, casting and curing, and erection at BSA Space.