Westmoreland Museum of American Art chooses finalists for expansion project
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Five architectural firms have been chosen as finalists for the planned expansion and renovation of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg.
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Five architectural firms have been chosen as finalists from the 63 submissions to expand and renovate the Westmoreland Museum of American Art.
The goal is to select one by June, with groundbreaking tentatively set for late 2012. The expansion will provide more room for exhibitions, the collection and education.
Representatives from each of the five toured the museum building and grounds last week, received input from staff and met with the Greensburg planning director and members of the museum's architectural steering committee.
To maintain an equal playing field, the representatives remained together all day during the March 16 visit. "This is how it's done," said Judith O'Toole, museum director/CEO. "It's completely transparent. They've all heard the same spiel."
They will return in April for individual interviews, which will include their project presentations, followed by committee questions.
The firms are Allied Works Architecture, with offices in New York City and Portland, Ore.; Centerbrook Architects and Planners, of Essex, Conn.; Ennead Architects, New York City; HGA, Minneapolis; and wHY Architecture and Design, Culver City, Calif.
After an architect is selected, the design process initiated two years ago -- called a charrette -- will be reconvened, and the public will be offered another opportunity to comment. The charrette was facilitated by Frederick Bonci, founding principal of the Pittsburgh-based landscape architecture firm LaQuatra Bonci Associates. Mr. Bonci has consulted during other phases of the selection process and will be the landscape architect for the project.
Ms. O'Toole said everyone involved had been impressed with the number and quality of the firms that responded to the initial call. Of the 63 submissions, 17 were from Pennsylvania firms, 13 of those from Pittsburgh.
"There were three Pittsburgh firms in the final 16," Ms. O'Toole said, at that stage beating out some prominent national firms.
The committee looked at three things during the review process, Ms. O'Toole said.
"First was their aesthetics. Are the buildings [they've designed] aesthetically successful, and do they look like something we'd like to have here?" Secondly, "the process they go through with their clients. What steps do they take before they begin the building design? We wanted somebody who would collaborate with us. We didn't want someone to present us with an exterior and then plug in some interior things." And third, "Are they qualified? Do they have the right team put together [to meet our needs]?"
First Published March 24, 2011 5:21 am
