A changing dialogue between art, history and architecture. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple
19/06/2024.
[Greenwich] USA
metalocus, FRANCISCO LANCHAS MORA
metalocus, FRANCISCO LANCHAS MORA
Architecture firm EskewDumezRipple has conducted a comprehensive programming study to further explore the needs of the Bruce Museum and support its ability to serve as a community resource in the city of Greenwich, located in the state of Connecticut, United States.
As a result of the study, they have planned an expansion of the existing space and a comprehensive renovation of the structure, doubling the existing area. The building has three floors of new exhibition and archive spaces for the museum's collection, which seek to create a welcoming experience for the visitor in a space where art, science and natural history converge.
As a result of the study, they have planned an expansion of the existing space and a comprehensive renovation of the structure, doubling the existing area. The building has three floors of new exhibition and archive spaces for the museum's collection, which seek to create a welcoming experience for the visitor in a space where art, science and natural history converge.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Michael Biondo.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Michael Biondo.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Michael Biondo.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Michael Biondo.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Michael Biondo.
Before aerial view. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Actual aerial view. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Site plan. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Ground floor plan. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Mezzanine floor plan. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Gallery floor plan. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Section. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Sectional perspective. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Elevation. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Facade. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Facade. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Facade. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Facade. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Facade. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple.
Facade. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Michael Biondo.
Facade. Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Michael Biondo.
The double-height lobby designed by EskewDumezRipple merges with the café and gift shop to create a large open and fluid public space that welcomes visitors. Amid clear circulation, new permanent and changing galleries appear, allowing the museum to host new exhibitions and provide engagement opportunities for visitors.
The main circulation stairs have priority and are designed to encourage their use, with elevators available but less obvious to visitors upon entering. The unique spatial experience provided by vertical circulation encourages visitors to use the stairs, contributing to physical well-being but also enhancing the visitor's journey through the museum.
The project is inspired by the geology of the region and the stone quarries found along the Connecticut coast to develop a delicately striated façade of cast stone and glass, which thanks to the play of light and shadows along of the day, it dramatically changes its appearance.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photography by Tim Hursley.
The Bruce Museum was originally built as a private house in 1853. The existing museum lacked adequate exhibition space for both art and science: it had a very small gallery for temporary scientific exhibitions and no permanent art gallery, even when art collectors in the local community promised gifts to the museum. Public gathering spaces were limited and there was no cafeteria or food service to prolong visitors' stay. Additional education classrooms and a multi-purpose conference room were needed to support the museum's outreach to students and the community.
Today, the Bruce Museum is a beacon of culture and exploration. Beyond its nominal role as a museum (a place to appreciate and understand art and science), the museum has hosted community meetings and conferences, talks by visiting writers, a resurrection of its annual outdoor crafts festival, and features a Regular rotating calendar of educational programming for visitors.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photography by Richard Barnes.
The new Bruce project represents a physical commitment by the museum to more fully serve the community of which it is a part. In this, the museum serves as a welcoming “lighthouse on the hill”, a place for a diverse range of users to visit and appreciate all it has to offer – a world-class destination for culture, education and community.
Museums are vital community infrastructure. In turn, this project became as much an anthropological as an architectural exercise. The team pored over the history of the museum, its humble beginnings as the former home of Robert Bruce and its donation to the city under the stipulation that it be used as "a museum of natural history, history and art for the use and benefit of the public".
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photography by Tim Hursley.
Today, Bruce can host a wide range of community programming. The expansion allowed the Bruce to allocate a large portion of its former wing to be dedicated to educational outreach. Partnerships with nearby schools and universities have been strengthened to foster a deep understanding of art, science and natural history.
The museum's sustainable project principles also contribute to its resilience in the face of environmental change. By prioritizing energy efficiency and resource conservation, the museum demonstrates its commitment to minimizing its environmental footprint. These project elements, including energy-efficient systems and sustainable water management, support the museum's passive survivability, ensuring it can continue to operate efficiently in the face of environmental or infrastructure challenges.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
The main circulation stairs have priority and are designed to encourage their use, with elevators available but less obvious to visitors upon entering. The unique spatial experience provided by vertical circulation encourages visitors to use the stairs, contributing to physical well-being but also enhancing the visitor's journey through the museum.
The project is inspired by the geology of the region and the stone quarries found along the Connecticut coast to develop a delicately striated façade of cast stone and glass, which thanks to the play of light and shadows along of the day, it dramatically changes its appearance.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photography by Tim Hursley.
The Bruce Museum was originally built as a private house in 1853. The existing museum lacked adequate exhibition space for both art and science: it had a very small gallery for temporary scientific exhibitions and no permanent art gallery, even when art collectors in the local community promised gifts to the museum. Public gathering spaces were limited and there was no cafeteria or food service to prolong visitors' stay. Additional education classrooms and a multi-purpose conference room were needed to support the museum's outreach to students and the community.
Today, the Bruce Museum is a beacon of culture and exploration. Beyond its nominal role as a museum (a place to appreciate and understand art and science), the museum has hosted community meetings and conferences, talks by visiting writers, a resurrection of its annual outdoor crafts festival, and features a Regular rotating calendar of educational programming for visitors.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photography by Richard Barnes.
The new Bruce project represents a physical commitment by the museum to more fully serve the community of which it is a part. In this, the museum serves as a welcoming “lighthouse on the hill”, a place for a diverse range of users to visit and appreciate all it has to offer – a world-class destination for culture, education and community.
Museums are vital community infrastructure. In turn, this project became as much an anthropological as an architectural exercise. The team pored over the history of the museum, its humble beginnings as the former home of Robert Bruce and its donation to the city under the stipulation that it be used as "a museum of natural history, history and art for the use and benefit of the public".
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photography by Tim Hursley.
Today, Bruce can host a wide range of community programming. The expansion allowed the Bruce to allocate a large portion of its former wing to be dedicated to educational outreach. Partnerships with nearby schools and universities have been strengthened to foster a deep understanding of art, science and natural history.
The museum's sustainable project principles also contribute to its resilience in the face of environmental change. By prioritizing energy efficiency and resource conservation, the museum demonstrates its commitment to minimizing its environmental footprint. These project elements, including energy-efficient systems and sustainable water management, support the museum's passive survivability, ensuring it can continue to operate efficiently in the face of environmental or infrastructure challenges.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Richard Barnes.
Project description by EskewDumezRipple
The Bruce Museum is a community based, world-class cultural institution highlighting art, science, and natural history exhibitions.
In 2014, following a national search and design competition, the Bruce embarked on a journey to revitalize its campus to carry the institution into the future. Selected as result of the competition, EskewDumezRipple led a comprehensive programming study to dig deep into the needs of the museum and support its ability to serve as a community resource.
The resulting project is a comprehensive renovation of the existing museum’s 3,020 sqm structure along with a 3,901 sqm addition. Comprising three floors, the expansion more than doubles the existing area of the facility and creates a welcoming visitor experience with clear circulation, generous galleries, and sufficient exhibition, storage, and archival spaces for the Museum’s growing collection.
Bruce Museum by EskewDumezRipple. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Since opening, the museum’s new spaces have quickly become a catalyst for diverse forms of engagement. The double-height lobby, café, and gift shop seamlessly merge to create an open and free-flowing public space. A new lecture hall has become a hub for community programming, celebratory gatherings, and public lectures and receptions. New changing and permanent galleries enable the museum to host new, ambitious exhibitions and provide opportunities for engagement and education.
Drawing inspiration from the unique geology of its site and surrounding region, the design team developed a delicately striated façade of cast stone and glass inspired by stone quarries found along the Connecticut coast. This exterior, animated by the play of light across the façade, dramatically changes appearance as the sun traverses the sky over the course of the day and time of year.
More information
Architects
Project team
Principal-in-Charge.- Steve Dumez.
Design Principal.- Noah Marble.
Project Manager.- Shawn Preau.
Project Architect.- Javier Marcano, Haley Allen.
Guan Wang, Vanessa Smith-Torres, Kyle Digby, Sam Levison, Mark Thorburn, Max Katz.
Design Principal.- Noah Marble.
Project Manager.- Shawn Preau.
Project Architect.- Javier Marcano, Haley Allen.
Guan Wang, Vanessa Smith-Torres, Kyle Digby, Sam Levison, Mark Thorburn, Max Katz.
Collaborators
Landscape Architect.- Reed Hilderbrand.
Structural Engineering.- Guy Nordenson and Associates.
MEP Engineering.- Altieri.
Civil Engineering.- Redniss & Mead.
Geotechnical.- Melick-Tully and Associates.
Lighting.- Fisher Marantz Stone.
Acoustics and A/V.- Jaffe Holden.
Security.- Ducibella Venter Santore.
Food Service.- Futch Design Associates.
Museum Programming.- M. Goodwin Museum Planning.
Envelope.- Simpson Gumpertz & Heger.
Cost Estimators.- Stuart-Lynn; Becker Frondorf.
Code Consultant.- Bruce J. Spiewak, Consulting Architect.
Structural Engineering.- Guy Nordenson and Associates.
MEP Engineering.- Altieri.
Civil Engineering.- Redniss & Mead.
Geotechnical.- Melick-Tully and Associates.
Lighting.- Fisher Marantz Stone.
Acoustics and A/V.- Jaffe Holden.
Security.- Ducibella Venter Santore.
Food Service.- Futch Design Associates.
Museum Programming.- M. Goodwin Museum Planning.
Envelope.- Simpson Gumpertz & Heger.
Cost Estimators.- Stuart-Lynn; Becker Frondorf.
Code Consultant.- Bruce J. Spiewak, Consulting Architect.
Client
Owner’s Representative.- Stone Harbor Land Company.
Contractor
Turner Construction.
Developer
The Stone House Group.
Area
3,901 sqm.
Dates
2023.
Location
Greenwich, Connecticut. USA.
Photography
Allen Eskew, Steve Dumez, Mark Ripple. Eskew+Dumez+Ripple
Eskew+Dumez+Ripple traces its beginnings to 1986 when Allen Eskew—a founding partner who died in 2014—launched Eskew, Vogt, Salvato & Filson. The firm evolved into Eskew+Dumez+Ripple under founding partners Eskew, Steve Dumez, FAIA, and Mark Ripple, AIA. Established in 1989, EskewDumezRipple has transformed from a local firm doing nationally recognized work to a national firm that has retained its local roots. The resulting diverse body of work—from small, intimate interiors to large urban planning projects—reflects the firm’s broad focus on civic life regardless of scale, budget, scope, or complexity.
Eskew+Dumez+Ripple is widely recognized for award-winning, innovative architecture and planning projects, grounded by a strong understanding of context and culture, which resonate far beyond the Southeast region. Housed in an open studio offering expansive views of the Mississippi River and the historic Vieux Carré, their New Orleans-based multi-disciplinary practice comprises 50 professionals who offer clients a deep commitment to every project they touch. Their firm size and management protocols are structured to provide hands-on principal involvement in every commission they undertake from conception to completion.
Their firm also recognizes that creating better communities requires more than simply designing good buildings. As architects committed to the civic realm and a sustainable future, they commit their time to numerous initiatives that advocate for quality in the design of their built environment, including teaching, research, speaking engagements, and public advocacy.
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