The Dallas Museum of Art announces its international design competition to revitalize the institution's space

A new international competition to reimagine the 39-year-old Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) campus in the city’s downtown Arts District has been announced. London-based Malcolm Reading Consultants is organizing the design competition to reinvent Edward Larrabee Barnes’ aging modernist creation in order to better serve the city’s diverse population and enable more gallery space for its soon-to-expand collection. 

"This is a pivotal moment for the DMA. With our global collection of more than 26,000 artworks from all cultures and time periods, we are one of the most iconic cultural bodies in the city of Dallas," DMA Director Dr. Agustín Arteaga said in a statement. "The campus was thoughtfully designed for the time with many good qualities but also presents challenges. Today we are no longer able to accommodate the exponential growth of our collections and are forced to keep masterworks hidden from the public due to limitations on space. It is time for our building to evolve to meet the current and future needs of our diverse and expansive collections and communities."

“We enthusiastically welcome the addition of flexible and usable gallery space and services that can empower us to display new narratives with the global icons in our possession,” Arteaga added. “The DMA looks forward to better integrating the Museum into the urban fabric of Dallas, while serving as a leader in confronting environmental challenges. In an era where the museum of the 21st century is still being defined, we look to set the standard. We look forward to working with a team that will join us in our mission to be a dynamic connector where people of all cultures feel welcomed and embraced in our thriving city.”

A reorganization and repositioning of its entrances, circulation, galleries, and other internal spaces will therefore be keys to the competition’s program. A sustainability strategy is also paramount in the content’s winning design, with a caveat that “competitors should be aware that the Dallas Arts District is key to Dallas’ identity as a nexus of culture, creativity, inclusivity, and dynamism and is an economic engine for the city.”

Shortlisted proposals will be featured in an exhibition on view to the public starting this summer in the museum. The first stage does not require a design per se but rather an answer to the search committee’s Statement (available here) detailing each team’s approach and qualifications. Each of the five final teams will be awarded with $50,000 honorarium and up to $10,000 for expenses once the shortlist is announced. The estimated budget for the project is between $150 and $175 million USD.

Teams from outside the Lonestar State should have at least one team member registered to practice in Texas. The deadline to submit proposals is March 15, 2023. Explore Bustler's competition section to learn more about the DMA's competition.