Naples, Florida
“Our design for the renovation and expansion of The Baker Museum nests a series of interlocking indoor and outdoor spaces that create an open garden courtyard for programmed and spontaneous events,” said Michael Manfredi and Marion Weiss.
“It capitalizes on the multidisciplinary nature of Artis—Naples and makes visible the transformative interchanges between all the arts.”
Designed by Weiss/Manfredi together with Andrea Clark Brown, the Baker Museum’s $25m renovation and expansion, launches Artis-Naples into the future, matching the physical growth of the museum with the aspirational growth of the institution in Naples, Florida.
Baker Museum Renovation and Expansion has recently been awarded a 2022 International Architecture Awards Honorable Mention by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The repair and expansion of The Baker Museum entail both the repair of the Museum’s facade, necessitated by Hurricane Irma, and the expansion of the existing museum to the south with an improved entrance and new event, educational, and museum support areas Artis-Naples is a thriving cultural institution in Florida that combines one of the largest visual and performing arts centers in the south-east with an active schedule of events, exhibitions, and entertainment, including music, dance, cinema, theater, and art, attracting top artists from around the world.
The facility houses several new spaces for art, performance, education, and social interaction. The Baker Museum’s curved exterior is clad in stone and metal with a durable water-resistant barrier against future storms.
The Norris Courtyard at the center of the new Artis-Naples Cultural Campus features sculpture and provides a setting for both events and direct access to The Baker Museum.
The new museum entrance sequence provides a more open public experience and visible museum entry, relocating the museum store and ticketing into the museum lobby.
The first floor gains the Multipurpose Performance and Learning Center for lectures, rehearsals, art exhibitions, and educational programs.
A monumental exterior stairway leads to the new Second Floor Event Space which accommodates ensemble performances, receptions, lectures, and exhibitions.
Another addition is the rooftop sculpture terrace, accessed from a third-floor gallery, which provides views of the Gulf of Mexico.
Project: Baker Museum Renovation and Expansion
Architects: Weiss/Manfredi
Design Team: Michael A Manfredi, Marion Weiss, Armando Petruccelli, Joseph Littrell, Vivian Chen, Scott Chung, Andreas Hausler, Anne Lawren, Vardhan Mehta, and Patrick Armacost
Architects of Record: Andrea Clark Brown
General Contractor: Manhattan Construction
Client: Baker Museum
Photographers: Albert Vecerka
