LMN Architects begins renovation on Seattle's Asian Art Museum

Renovation is now underway for Seattle's Asian Art Museum, which closed in 2017 and recently celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for the new project. Locally based LMN Architects will be in charge of the $54 million renovation and expansion to update the 1933 building to current standards, enhance SAM's gallery space for its art collection, and accommodate growing visitor needs. The museum is currently scheduled to reopen in fall 2019.

LMN Architects shared more details about the project below.

The expansion will add about 13,900 square-feet of new space, “but changes the museum's footprint in the park by only 3,290 square feet (less than 1 quarter of 1 percent of the park's 48-acre total”, LMN Architects describes. The expansion comprises a new exhibition gallery, a dedicated education space, improved community event spaces, and a new conservation center.

Prioritizing the preservation of the historic building and its Art Deco facade, the renovation and expansion includes improving: the museum's infrastructure, climate control and seismic system, ADA accessibility, and the museum's connection to Volunteer Park — which includes restoring historic pathways in the park.

“The architectural design approach parallels the curatorial goals, which seek to create relevance and meaning between the past and the present. Simultaneously, the design is focused on strengthening the relationship between the building and the park—from the outside in and the inside out,” says Sam Miller, a partner at LMN Architects.