Throughout the past decade, we have been working with the Clark Art Institute on various projects including the implementation of its Master Plan. Phase I, completed in 2008, was the construction of the Williamstown Art Conservation Center (WACC). This advanced the Clark’s long history of sensitively taking care of its land as it impacted only a small portion of their campus, preserved its outdoor recreational uses, and safeguards scenic vistas.
The Project, as a portion of an overall master plan, required substantial redesign of both pedestrian and vehicular circulation throughout the entire campus. Working with Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando and landscape architects Reed Hilderbrand Associates, our responsibilities included site grading, roadway and parking alignments, site utilities, local permitting, substantial analysis and design evaluations to minimize wetland impacts, geothermal well development, permitting and construction administration.
Currently, the Clark is moving forward with Phase II, which includes a new building: the Visitor, Exhibition and Conference Center (VECC). This building will house new special exhibition galleries, provide additional space for conferences and symposia and include a new lobby and museum shop. A new reflecting pool will connect all of the buildings on the main campus and reorient them toward Stone Hill. The project also includes the renovation of the two existing buildings. The original museum and the Manton Research Center (current main visitor entrance) will be renovated to provide more space for the Clark’s permanent collection, a library and its special collection of works on paper.
The rendered images have been borrowed with permission from the Clark Art website.