Albright-Knox Plots Expansion

The Albright-Knox Gallery, in Buffalo, N.Y., has contracted Manhattan- and Oslo-based architecture, landscape and interior design collaborative Snøhetta to develop a long-term plan for growth.

The gallery was last expanded in 1962 and needs space for its large and ever-expanding modern and contemporary art collections. "We urgently need to examine how our existing space is used to display, store, and conserve the collection, and to optimize our facilities to provide an enhanced experience for our visitors," said board of directors president Leslie Zemsky, implying that the gallery will not build an extension in the near future. However, the Albright-Knox will consider an expansion as part of its long-term plan.

Administrators at the Albright-Knox touted Snøhetta's internationally recognized work—including the Oslo Opera House and the expansion of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art—and the firm's experience synthesizing landscape and architectural design. The Albright-Knox resides alongside Buffalo's Olmsted Park.

Snøhetta plans to collaborate on the project with strategy consulting firm Brightspot, which will "develop a comprehensive strategy to address critical space programming needs at the [Albright-Knox] Gallery to create better visitor experiences and a more productive work environment," according to a press release.