The Miami University Art Museum, completed in 1979, rises from the crest of its five-acre site like a sculpturesque sequence of changing architectural forms. The proportion and scale of the building elements are geometrically organized both horizontally and vertically and are highlighted by constantly changing light and shadow throughout the day.
The 24,000-square-foot museum was conceived as an active center for art and artifacts. It needed to be flexible enough to display many genres of art, and the surrounding woodlands had to be an integral part of the design. These objectives were met in a single-story, barrier-free structure containing both intimate exhibition areas and large skylit spaces, as well as a 115-seat auditorium. A reflecting pool and three exterior areas can accommodate outdoor sculpture. Through large windows and clerestories, the surroundings are visible from galleries bathed in natural light.
© Abby Sadin
© Abby Sadin