SITE Santa Fe, committed to presenting the cutting edge in contemporary art and expanding traditional museum experiences, announces a major expansion designed by SHoP Architects. When completed, the new building will greatly enhance SITE Santa Fe’s capacity with a total of 36,000 square feet of interior and exterior space to further serve the creative community and city of Santa Fe. The project will break ground in August 2016 and is slated for completion by summer 2017.
The new design will address the critical operational and programmatic needs of SITE’s existing facilities, while creating an iconic new spatial presence for the innovative cultural institution. Located at 1606 Paseo de Peralta—the heart of the burgeoning Santa Fe Railyard, named one of six Great Public Spaces in America this year by the American Planning Association—SITE’s building expansion will continue to lead the next phase of an already active and dynamic public space.
Andrew Wallerstein, SITE Board Chair, said, “SITE’s early commitment to the Railyard 20 years ago has acted as a catalyst for the redevelopment of the neighborhood, attracting galleries, retailers and other arts organizations. Today the Railyard is a hub of contemporary art and community. With this bold expansion designed by SHoP, SITE will build on its legacy.
Key features of SHoP Architects’ design for SITE Santa Fe include: the new SITElab Exhibition gallery, which will expand to become an 1,800 square foot gallery; a new 3,000 square foot flexible lecture and event space; an Education Lab, featuring a 540 square foot classroom to welcome students from the surrounding areas; and new outdoor gathering and social spaces, including the 1,740 square foot Entrance Sculpture Court and the 1,825 square foot Sky Mezzanine.
The building’s low-slung form establishes a dialogue with Santa Fe Railyard Park and surrounding buildings, while an entrance court and rear porch (framed by a soaring layered and perforated façade), function as inviting and expansive public gathering spaces.
Drawing inspiration from traditional Navajo patternmaking, and anchored in the distinctive material qualities of the Santa Fe Railyard, the building’s exterior not only reflects the rich history and culture of the American Southwest, but also expresses a contemporary aesthetic that is authentic to SITE Santa Fe. Source by SHoP Architects.
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
Architects: SHoP Architects
Architect of Record: Allegretti Architects, Santa Fe, NM
Structural Engineer: Hands Engineering, Inc., Santa Fe, NM
MEP Engineer: Beaudin Ganze, Albuquerque, NM
Lighting Consultant: Beaudin Ganze, Albuquerque, NM
Geotechnical: Geo-Test, Inc., Santa Fe, NM
Acoustical Engineer: Purcell + Noppe + Associates, Inc.
Area: 36,225 sf
Year: 2014/2015
Images: Courtesy of SHoP Architects