Art Gallery of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Project by Randall Stout Architects

Los Angeles, United States

Photographer: Robert Lemermeyer

Photographer: Randall Stout Architects

Photographer: Robert Lemermeyer

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City connections:
Celebrating its prominent location on Sir Winston Churchill Square, RSA’s New Vision for
the Art Gallery of Alberta is a provocative and inviting visual arts center for the city.
Through its materiality and strategic repositioning on the site, the museum formally and
philosophically extends out to the community. Transparent planes and reflective surfaces
animate the building, exposing the activities within and engaging people and art at multiple
levels both interior and exterior—from a lower level LRT connection, up to the galleries,
sculpture terraces and rooftop gardens. Galleries are expressed on the exterior as simple
stacked rectangular boxes, establishing a dialogue with the existing building mass. The
addition of an upper gallery volume generates a dynamic shift in response to the site,
activating critical new areas for the public spaces of the museum.

Design from the inside out:

RSA’s vision reinvents the museum’s public spaces in a language of sinuous stainless steel
surfaces, peeling off of one another, creating opportunities for generous views and natural
light within the building. Wall and ceiling become one fluid surface which captures the
spatial volume and guides the public flow through entry points, wrapping event and gathering
spaces, and leading on to the galleries. As destinations, the gallery boxes read solid and
neutral against the light, dancing forms of the public space. These two languages of mass and
curvilinear form define a rhythm of destination and path in a unique way-finding experience
for visitors. On the interior, the 10,000 sf gallery addition is completely unimpeded with
structure to maximize curatorial flexibility for both large and small exhibitions. The plan and
vertical organization of the design resolves the distinct flows of art, food service, staff and
visitors with great clarity. State-of-the-art museum elevators and registrarial sequences are
incorporated, as well as a unified Education Wing. A consolidated office level above the
gallery expansion permits spontaneous and efficient staff interaction.

Materiality + Sustainability: All of these accomplishments are enhanced by the fact that
RSA’s design is at the cutting edge of sustainability in the museum building type. With a
wide array of ‘green’ features and intelligent engineering strategies, the design is projected to
save 4 million pounds in carbon dioxide emissions each year over conventional construction,
a source of great pride for both architect and the EAG as responsible stewards of our
environment. Crafted of patinaed zinc, mined and manufactured in Canada, and stainless
steel, the building will have a timeless appearance and extraordinary durability in the
northern climate.

Concept + Mission:
This alluring composition of metal and glass form embodies regional references, including
the stacked rock compositions of ‘inukshuks’ and the ephemeral, lucid qualities of the ‘aurora
borealis.’ Stout describes the design as one that reaches out to the community. “It’s really an
effort to understand the climate, to understand the programming of the museum and express
that through architecture. We have been very sculptural with the public spaces of the
building, and we have been quite reserved and neutral with the art exhibit spaces. We feel this
duality represents the appropriate way of combining exuberant space with art space.” The
building design may be seen as the largest object in the gallery’s collection. Its fluidity frees
the mind of convention, representing an entire institution that evokes experimentation.

Design team:
Randall Stout Architects

Photographer: Robert Lemermeyer

Photographer: Randall Stout Architects

Photographer: Randall Stout Architects

Photographer: Robert Lemermeyer

Photographer: Randall Stout Architects

Photographer: Randall Stout Architects

Photographer: Randall Stout Architects

Photographer: Robert Lemermeyer

Photographer: Robert Lemermeyer

Photographer: Robert Lemermeyer

Photographer: Robert Lemermeyer

Photographer: Randall Stout Architects