Finalist, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art International Design Competition

Kengo Kuma & Associates, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art International Design Competition'da finale kaldı.

Kengo Kuma & Associates designed an inclusive and accessible museum experience in Kansas City by connecting the 1933 Nelson-Atkins Building and the Bloch Building through local materials, fluid pathways, and human-scaled gestures, weaving together art, people, and nature.

The team is supported by GGN (Landscape Architecture), Endelman & Associates (Accessibility), Post Oak Preservation Solutions (Heritage), Art Processors (Exhibition and Experience design), and Buro Happold (Structural/MEP/Lighting Engineering).

Drawing from the Midwest’s prairies, riverbeds, and limestone bluffs, River / Stone weaves art, people, and landscape into a living cultural tapestry.

Fluid pathways unite the 1933 Nelson Atkins Building, the Bloch Building, and a new expansion grounded by local materials and human-scaled gestures.

Porches, covered passages, and terraces dissolve the form, encouraging spontaneous encounters and linking the museum with surrounding neighborhoods.

Locally sourced stone, sustainable timber, and expansive glass echo the land’s quiet rhythm, fostering warmth and transparency.

Underscoring Kansas City’s geological heritage and communal spirit, River / Stone broadens accessibility for families, firsttime visitors, and longtime patrons alike.

Gently sloping routes and terraced landscapes reflect regional history, creating places for reflection, conversation, and cultural exchange.

Through this harmonious approach, the new addition transforms the museum’s campus – building on its longstanding commitment to engagement, wonder, and inclusivity – where nature, architecture, and community flow seamlessly as a true “Museum for All.”