Walker Art Center Expansion and Renovation / 2005

ArchitectHerzog & de Meuron

Executive ArchitectHGA - Hammel, Green & Abrahamson, Inc

Structural EngineerHGA - Hammel, Green & Abrahamson, Inc

Services EngineerHGA - Hammel, Green & Abrahamson, Inc

ContractorM.A. Mortenson Company

Façade ContractorsInterclad / M.G. McGrath Inc / UAD Group

The Walker Art Center is a contemporary arts organization aimed at linking ideas from many different disciplines and art forms. The arts center houses a large modern art collection including many examples of pivotal contemporary artistic developments and also provides a venue for performing arts and film. On this project, Front collaborated with Herzog & de Meuron and HGA on the expansion and renovation of the existing Edward Larrabee Barnes brick building from the 1970’s. Front developed several different façade systems for the project, from schematic design through construction administration. These include a series of monumental steel and glass walls (designed in part as cavity wall systems that incorporate glazing support elements doubling as primary building structure), a series of complex steel and glass windows of varied geometry that are set into the studio theatre box façade, and an innovative rain screen composed of custom-stamped expanded aluminum mesh panels. Additionally, Front contributed to the design of the aluminum-framed glass skylights and windows as well as a series of steel, aluminum and glass replacement windows. These replacement windows were designed to visually replicate those of the original Barnes building, while updating them technically to meet current thermal performance standards.