NCMA Named One of World’s Top 125 Buildings - Circa - NCMA - North Carolina Museum of Art

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NCMA Named One of World’s Top 125 Buildings

by Emily Kowalski | Sep 7, 2016

The North Carolina Museum of Art has been selected by Architectural Record as one of the top 125 most important works of architecture built since the magazine’s founding in 1891.

The publication recognized the Museum’s West Building—designed by New York–based architects Thomas Phifer and Partners and North Carolina–based landscape architects Surface 678 (then Lappas + Havener)—which opened in 2010. The list of 125 buildings was created by Architectural Record editors to commemorate the magazine’s 125th anniversary.

“The Museum is honored to be recognized by Architectural Record, one of the most distinguished and world-renowned architectural publications,” says NCMA Director Lawrence J. Wheeler. “We’re incredibly proud to be ranked among such significant and innovative buildings from around the globe.”

Glass and aluminum-clad with striking simplicity and state-of-the-art environmental features, the Museum’s West Building has an open floor plan reinforcing connections to art across time and culture. Adjacent to the 1983 building designed by Edward Durell Stone, the single-story building was created specifically to showcase the Museum’s wide-ranging permanent collection and features a central sculpture hall and 40 galleries.

With the exterior 50 percent glass, the 127,000-square-foot space has an innovative day lighting system to bathe the collection in an even glow of natural light, illuminating colors in Old Master paintings as originally intended. Landscaped sculpture gardens, courtyards, and reflecting pools surround the building and connect seamlessly to the Museum’s 164-acre Park.

“It was a privilege to work with the architectural firm Thomas Phifer and Partners on the planning and creation of our West Building,” says the NCMA’s director of planning and design Dan Gottlieb. “It showcases our collection in a setting equal to the quality of the artwork it contains. The elegance of its day-lit galleries and garden courtyards perfectly embodies our philosophy of connecting art, nature, and people.”

This fall, six years after the opening of West Building, the NCMA completes a redesign and transformation of the Museum campus by expanding the NCMA Park. The project—which introduces a new elliptical lawn, tree-lined parking, contemporary gardens, a promenade connecting Park and galleries, and significant public art installations by international artists—continues the NCMA’s mission of providing memorable, creative encounters with both art and nature.

The North Carolina Museum of Art's 164-acre campus includes two gallery buildings and the NCMA Park, which features outdoor art installations, discovery gardens, community gathering spaces, and paved trails that connect with Raleigh's Greenway system.

Emily Kowalski

Emily Kowalksi is a former communications specialist at the NCMA.

Comments (13)

  1. kathleen kelly - Reply

    September 07, 2016

    Beautiful, congratulations. Exhibits have been great also, esp. Hassam. Permament modern art collection is in serious need of updating, however.
  3. Walter A Connolly - Reply

    September 07, 2016

    NC Museum of Art is a great museum that gives more space for Art.
  5. Seongsook Chung - Reply

    September 07, 2016

    Congratulations! Proud to be a member of this beautiful art museum.
  6. ann berry - Reply

    September 07, 2016

    Great news! I walked in the new part of the park Saturday, and this too is a beautiful addition. I agree with Comment 1 about modern American art, though.
  7. Nancy Bruch - Reply

    September 07, 2016

    A marvelous museum in a delightful park, which we always enjoy visiting.
  8. Ralph Ashworth - Reply

    September 08, 2016

    We are so proud of our NCMA and feel so lucky to have it so close by so we can visit it often. We love the Special Exhibitions.
  9. Rob J - Reply

    September 09, 2016

    Beauty, as well as art and architectural appreciation, is in the eye of the beholder. My wife and I are proud to be members and love the museum but personally do not care at all for the aluminum-clad external walls , which, to us, appear industrial. The space is great from the interior and the art is fantastic. In any case, congrats.
  10. Robert P. Hawkins, Ph.D. - Reply

    September 09, 2016

    We've lived here just 11 years and feel very privileged to be members of such an outstanding art museum. Given the awful state of our legislature, it's really rather surprising to have such forward-looking, highly competent, well-informed people as those guiding NCMA.
  11. Laura - Reply

    September 10, 2016

    Well now it's out! Our secret world of magically being amongst ancient and contemporary artists enhanced by live music within its fine architecture used to be our secret. Since we discovered the delightful experience the museum offers upon entering its grounds, my husband and I have made Friday at NCMA a highlight of our week. Congratulations!
  12. Jake Barns - Reply

    September 11, 2016

    You must be kidding me! The building looks like a nonedescript warehouse to me.
  13. Aaron Joplin - Reply

    September 28, 2016

    I was the Chief Surveyor on the construction. Every single thing about this project, including the wooden floor, was extremely exacting and resulted in a magnificent facility. Every time our family goes, I get to consider what it took the team to get it to the point at which everyone could fully appreciate it, including the architect himself. Truly an honor to have had that intimate experience with this building.
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