PROJECT  National Museum of Women in the Arts Renovation Project

LOCATION  Washington, DC, District of Columbia, US​

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  10/17/2023

Firm(s): Sandra Vicchio & Assoc. LLC Architect of Record: Marshall Craft Associates, Inc.

Design Team Members: Sandra Parsons Vicchio, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, Michelle Hasson Heinrich, AIA, NCARB

Client: National Museum of Women in the Arts
Contractor/Construction Manager: Grunley Construction Company, Inc.

Landscape Architect: RKK, Inc.

Structural Engineer: CVM Professional

Civil Engineer: RKK, Inc.

Mechanical Engineer: Mueller Associates, Inc.

Electrical Engineer: Mueller Associates, Inc.

Photographer(s): © Judy Davis, Architectural Photography; © Jennifer Hughes, Architectural Photographer
Additional project support: Envelope Consultant: CVM Professional, Tracy Marcotte, PHD, PE, tmarcotte@cvmprofessional.com
Acoustic Engineer and Theater Consultant: Acoustic Design Collaborative, Neil Shade, FASA, nts@skustx.com
Fire Protection, Security, and Code: Jensen Hughes, Kelvin Turner, kturner@jensenhughes.com
Lighting Design, Flux Studio Ltd., Glenn Shrum IALD, MIES, glenn@fluxstudio.com
Cost Estimating: Forella Group, LLC, Peter Forella, RA, peter@forellagroup.com
Elevator: Michael Blades Associates, Ltd., Eron Whitehurst, ewhitehurst@elevatormba.com
Retail and Interior Design of Presevation Spaces: Eileen Ritter Associates, Inc. Eileen Ritter, eileen@eileenritterassociates.com
Owner's Representative: JM Zell Partners, LTD, Scott Kaufmann, skaufmann@jmzell.com
Owner's Preventive Conservator: Wendy Jessup & Associates, Inc., Wendy Jessup, prevcon@collectioncare.com
Environmental Design Collection Areas: Watson & Henry Associates, Michael C. Henry, PE, AIA, mhenry@watsonhenry.com

PROJECT SUMMARY

This project aligns the physical plan of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) with its mission. NMWA is a thriving institution founded as the first museum in the world solely dedicated to championing women through the arts. The renovation project preserved and transformed NMWA’s historic building, last renovated in the 1980’s. Every building system, including envelope, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, security, elevators, audio visual, telecom, and lighting, was updated. Programmatic elements include:
• Renovated lobby to welcome guests and make art visible upon entry
• Renovated retail shop
• Provisions for a mezzanine level cafe
• Two new passenger elevators to provide access to all levels
• Restored and improved Great Hall – centerpiece of public programs with a bespoke textile wallcovering
• Completely redesigned, highly flexible galleries with new lighting, AV, IT, and configurations, and details that seamlessly integrate building systems
• A new Learning Commons including
o 2,500 sf of new gallery space,
o Two education studios that combine into one larger room, and
o A redesigned library with a secure space for scholarly research and a collections archive with over 18,500 books and print resources.
• State of the art collections storage spaces to protect NMWA 6,000 works by more than 1,500 artists spanning six centuries
• Restored and improved Performance Hall with expanded stage, new theatrical lighting, acoustic design, accessibility, AV, seating, and updated finishes
• Compact yet meticulously designed staff offices, most with exterior windows and all with height-adjustable desks
• Staff support spaces including lounge/workroom facilities, conference and huddle rooms

NMWA’s landmark 1908 building, in a prime location, was originally designed by Waddy Butler Wood as a Masonic Temple that didn’t admit women. The renovation adapted 100% of the building’s floor area (without increasing the footprint) into a 21st-century worldclass museum that champions women artists. The iconic façade is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the District of Columbia List of Historic Structures. The exterior improvements (highly efficient replacement windows, repair / repointing of the historic masonry, and limestone restoration) were thoughtfully coordinated with Washington, D.C.’s Historic Preservation Review Board.

The envelope improvements and new mechanical systems maintain interior conditions that preserve collections and enhance human comfort with significantly less energy consumption. Early in design, the Project Team used energy and climate models to establish energy performance goals, with the final models showing a 27.0% energy reduction from the baseline. The Project Team employed similar strategies to reduce indoor water demand by 22.9%, divert 93% of construction waste from landfills, and provide temperature controls for 100% of shared spaces and 89% of office spaces. These accomplishments empowered the project to surpass its goal of LEED Certified and achieve LEED Silver.

This project embodies NMWA’s mission of championing women artists. The design capitalizes on the beautiful historic details while providing galleries that support contemporary art. By its very presence, NMWA improves equity to women artists and those who appreciate them; this project expands its capacity for this work.

JURY COMMENTS (if applicable)

MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project PDF

IMAGES (Captions and Photographer Credit)
1. National Museum of Women in the Arts View from Northwest, © Judy Davis, Architectural Photographer
2. National Museum of Women in the Arts View from Northwest, © Judy Davis, Architectural Photographer
3. National Museum of Women in the Arts Renovated Gallery, © Jennifer Hughes, Architectural Photographer
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