ABA designed the Shelburne Museum’s new Center for Art and Education. Renowned for its folk art collection and its 45-acre campus of historic architecture, the new building frames the Museum gateway, and offers year-round exhibitions and events.
The building’s massing interlocks two elements: the exhibition galleries and the education studio and auditorium, joined by a central lobby gallery. The design responds to two settings — one facing Vermont’s busy Route 7; the other facing the enclave of historic buildings. The view from Route 7 announces the Museum with clarity. The campus side, with its extended porch, is set low to respect
scale and offer panoramic views. A mix of wood, copper, and stone establishes a dialogue with the building’s historic companions. The façade is clad with wide board cedar, expanses of high performance glass, and local granite. Horizontal roof overhangs are copper with cedar soffits. Interior materials include Vermont slate, cedar, and local beech flooring.
A less “familiar” design — interlocking forms, deep eaves, flat roof, and a glass curtain wall — grew from exchange with clients and donors, shifting expectations from traditional design to a contemporary vocabulary. Innovative programming, and a balance of contemporary and traditional exhibitions reflect this discourse. This building is designed to exceed LEED standards and received a Merit Award for Design Excellence from the American Institute of Architects’ Vermont Chapter.
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