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Thanks to Viñoly, a Grander Duke

The $23 million space is Viñoly’s first North American museum, and the university’s first stand-alone building dedicated to the arts.

Meaghan O'Neill -- Interior Design, 9/8/2005 12:00:00 AM

Duke University has long been known for its high academic standards and high-scoring basketball team, and now the North Carolina institution aims to add a third pillar to its reputation: high art. Citing a desire to “alter its cultural landscape” by renewing its commitment to the arts, the Research Triangle’s famous university will unveil the Rafael Viñoly-designed Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University on October 2.

Formerly known as the Duke University Museum of Art, the new, 65,000-square-foot museum will be renamed for art collector, philanthropist, and Duke alumnus Raymond D. Nasher. The $23 million stand-alone museum--the university’s first--will serve as a cornerstone for cultural activities for both the university and the local community.

Commissioned by Duke in 2000, the Nasher Museum is Viñoly’s first North American art museum.

At the center of Viñoly’s design is a 13,000-square-foot glass-and-steel canopy rising 45 feet above a great hall. Five concrete pavilions fan out from this central courtyard. The pavilions house three large gallery spaces, totaling 27,000 square feet; an auditorium; and an education wing with classrooms, offices, a shop, and a café. Full-height glass walls and a green slate floor connect the pavilions. Outside, sculpture gardens and nine wooded acres are visible.

The Nasher’s opening exhibit, “The Evolution of the Nasher Collection,” explores 20th-century sculpture, emerging artists, early American modernism, contemporary architecture, and more. Many of the works are on public display for the first time. Another inaugural exhibit will reflect the museum’s increased focus on modern and contemporary art.

Image copyright Brad Feinknopf