Category: Institutions
Region: North America
Year: 2006
Location: CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS, U.S.A.
FT2 Construction: 23,142 sq ft
FT2 Ground: 0 sq ft
Involved Areas: Architecture, Interior Design

Collaborators:
ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO DE INTERIORES: LEGORRETA^®
Ricardo Legorreta
Víctor Legorreta
Noé Castro
Miguel Almaraz
Adriana Ciklik
Carlos Vargas C.

Associate Architects:
ARQUITECTO EJECUTIVO: John Dykema

Consultants:
CONTRACTOR:
Fulton Construction

Photographer:
Lourdes Legorreta


The Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi was originally intended to be an exhibition space for temporary installations & exhibits of art. As the Museum and the City have expanded during the past 25 years to include a collecting program and ambitious arts education activities the original building by Philip Johnson needed to be expanded. LEGORRETA was selected to design a new building that addresses the expanded components of the Museum. It is also considered to be a place where the community gathers for learning, and social activities. Located on one of the most scenic undeveloped sites in the City, at the entrance of Corpus Christis inner harbor, between the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History and the original Museum, the site is bounded by sea on the east and north, a water garden and convention center to the south and museums to the west and south-east. The new facility is emphasized by a horizontal design plan that complements rather than competes with the Johnsons Museum and surrounding buildings. The public access and parking were resolved by adding a proximate entrance to the new facility, radial to the water garden circle, similar to the Museums walkway, and additional parking areas were designed. All major art galleries will continue to be located in the Johnsons building while education programs, collections, offices and public service areas will be in the new facility. The main entry is through a 35 ft. tower that serves as a Lobby, the west wing holds a library/conference room, a computer design room and a photography classroom. It also has services, the collectors vault and public toilets. Three separated pavilions are standing in a reflecting pool, the Childrens Interactive Center, the Ceramics & Sculpture room and the Multi-purpose room. An arcade articulates the different volumes and serves as an exhibition space where students work is exhibited. The arcade continues to the Johnsons Museum, connecting to a vestibule. The new gift shop and the coffee shop, work as a node where the general offices are located to control both facilities. There is always visual contact with the sea through the connections and with the Citys Aquarium on the other side of the channel. An amphitheater is located between the two buildings and it is the access to the promenade that runs along the shore line and its intended to go along the channel in the future.