New York architect SO–IL has unveiled its design for a 7,200 sq m museum at Williams College in Massachusetts.
The facility will contain 15,000 exhibits as well as spaces for student, staff and visitors. A courtyard garden at the heart of the site will be occupied by pavilions that act as temporary and permanent galleries, classrooms, a study centre, auditorium and cafe.
The pavilions are made from mass timber and the courtyard roof has an overhang that creates a sheltered porch at the perimeter, allowing for outdoor events.
Jing Liu and Florian Idenburg, SO-IL’s co-founders, said: “The new museum will connect the campus to the larger cultural ecosystem of the northern Berkshires and provide an opportunity to advance innovative, sustainable building and museum practices, offering students invaluable expertise in responsible stewardship.”
The museum is due to open in 2027 following an eight-month conceptual design process.
