McNay Art Museum Master Plan
Opportunities for Improvement
In 2014 the McNay Art Museum and master plan committee selected Machado Silvetti and Michael Van Valkenburgh to develop a comprehensive Site and Building master plan for the museum and grounds that reevaluates the site and takes a holistic, forward-looking view of the museum and galleries.
Despite its rich history, inspiring facilities, and consistent growth, the McNay continues to face challenges to meet the needs of its visitors and to accommodate its expanding collections. The pace of its growth over the decades has led the museum to implement a rapid succession of small discreet additions to the original house, and even with the addition of the Stieren Center, key opportunities remain underexploited and gaps remain in telling the story of the relationship between the original house and the transformation into a modern museum. The fragmented nature of its expansion over the years has also resulted in a host of challenges to the McNay's site and infrastructure with respect to art movement and visitor experience.
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Client: McNay Art Museum
Location: San Antonio, TX
Year: 2015
Status: Unbuilt
Proposed Solutions & Future Growth
The study begins with an in-depth analysis of the building and grounds existing conditions and history. It looks comprehensively at each space (both within the landscape as well as the buildings) to identify its current condition and the challenges and opportunities they present. The building master plan looks at a matrix for future growth, an improved visitor experience, and progression of galleries that allows for the continuing growth and exhibition of the collection, while clarifying its service and handling. It presents a proposed solution to reinforce the Stieren Center entrance as the main entrance and strengthen the story of the McNay house and history.