deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum

lincoln, massachusetts

  • Type: Visioning Study
    Size: 63,000 SF
    Status: Complete

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is a 35 acre campus with 9 buildings accommodating a variety of functions such as exhibitions, community events, summer camps, and art studios. The scope of the study focuses on the core of campus, where the buildings are clustered. The existing main museum building and historic mansion sit at the top of the hill while the Gift Shop, Cafe and Cottages sit at the bottom, adjacent to the parking lot. The project seeks to address the disconnect between the top of the hill and the bottom. The concept design creates a β€œbuilding as landscape” tying these experiences together. By decommissioning underutilized spaces while significantly increasing the amount of gallery space, the new plan creates a net zero museum campus that is more sustainable, efficient, inviting, and functional with less overall building square footage. These interventions create a new visual identity for deCordova’s campus that is in line with deCordova's mission is to inspire, educate, and delight with contemporary art and outdoor sculptures through an integrated landscape and museum exhibition.