Yale University Art Gallery, Kahn Building Renovation

New Haven, CT, USA

Photo © Elizabeth Felicella

Photo © Yale University Art Gallery

Photo © Ennead Architects

Photo © Elizabeth Felicella

Architects: ennead architects

Year: 2006

The renovation of the 1953 Louis Kahn Art Gallery building restores many features of the original design and upgrades outmoded systems, including the complete replacement of the building’s original window-wall system, most dramatically along the west and north facades. The new system duplicates the appearance and profiles of the original while addressing the original wall’s technical shortcomings and accommodating the strict temperature and humidity requirements of a modern museum. The renovation restores an open exterior courtyard that was roofed over in the 1970’s. With the removal of partitions, the galleries now reveal spacious, unobstructed vistas according to Kahn’s original vision. Other highlights include the refurbishment of the tetrahedral ceilings, designed to house the electrical and ventilation systems; the transformation of the first-floor lobby into a media lounge, an inviting information center and gathering place; and a complete upgrade of building systems.