Shigeru Ban, Studio Gang, Snøhetta and other big-name firms to compete for Arkansas Arts Center redesign

The Arkansas Arts Center is another step closer to finding the design architect of their new headquarters in Little Rock. Following a competitive RFQ, the AAC announced today a stellar lineup of five finalists:

• Allied Works (Portland, OR/New York)
• Shigeru Ban (New York/Paris/Tokyo)
• Studio Gang (Chicago/New York)
• Thomas Phifer (New York)
• Snøhetta (Oslo, Norway/New York/San Francisco)

The technical review panel reviewed all the RFQs based on experience in designing cultural institutions and the AAC's highly specific needs and goals for the new building. The technical panel submitted their recommendations to the selection committee, who will be in charge of evaluating the finalists in the coming months. The selection committee will then send their final recommendation to the AAC Board of Trustees for approval. As of now, no designs from the finalists have been publicly released.

The winner is currently expected to be announced sometime in early 2017. Shortly after, the AAC will choose a local architecture firm to collaborate on the project.

Check out some of the finalists' previous winning cultural-institution projects in the links below.