Albany Institute of History & Art
Albany, N.Y.
Solomon + Bauer Architects Inc

Old and new harmonize artfully in a downtown landmark

© Chuck Choi

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Facing one of Albany’s major thoroughfares, the Albany Institute of Art and History is located just one block from the New York State Capitol. A new three-level glass-walled lobby serves as the new entrance and primary thoroughfare for the Institute, linking three landmark structures. Set at a fifteen-degree angle to the orthogonal grid of the existing buildings, the axis of the entrance intersects the axis of the historic museum entrance at a new gate on the public sidewalk.

Existing exterior walls, windows, doors, and decorative detailing have been cleaned, preserved, and retained. In the lobby, existing window openings have been converted to doors to access galleries and other public support spaces. The rearrangement of functions within the existing and new structures provides ideal museum zoning, separating and aggregating public and nonpublic, collections and noncollections spaces. A new storage building, which houses mechanical equipment and provides environmental control in exhibit areas, has replaced an underutilized auditorium at the rear of the site.

Galleries have been thoroughly modernized while preserving historic details. Restoration of laylights in second-floor galleries and installation of controlled artificial lighting has drastically transformed the galleries. Existing first-floor gallery windows have been walled over on the interior to provide much needed gallery wall space. The contrast between the transparent new lobby structure and the elegantly restored existing structures has added excitement to the facility creating a much sought-after open and inviting public space.

Formal name of Project:
Albany Institute of History & Art

Location:
Albany, N.Y.

Gross square footage:
68,200 sq ft

Total construction cost:
$11.5 million

Owner:
Albany Institute of History & Art

Architect:
Solomon + Bauer Architects Inc
44 Hunt Street
Watertown MA 02472
617 924 8200
617 924 6685