Carnegie Mellon University has revealed the architectural blueprint for the new 29,000-square-foot home of the Miller Institute for Contemporary Art, situated prominently in the forthcoming Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences. The strategic location at the intersection of the university’s campus and the cultural heart of Pittsburgh along Forbes Avenue sets the stage for an expanded and visionary arts institution.
Designed by ZGF Architects, the innovative museum promises to nearly triple the current size of the Miller ICA. The expansive structure will house galleries and public programming spaces, fostering cross-disciplinary inquiry and community engagement. Simultaneously, the Miller ICA will undergo a transformation, adopting the name Institute for Contemporary Art Pittsburgh (ICA Pittsburgh) in acknowledgment of its pivotal role in shaping artistic discourse within the city and globally.
A crucial aspect of the new museum will be “The Miller Gallery,” a dedicated exhibition space named after Regina and Marlin Miller, whose foundational support played a pivotal role in establishing the institution. Since its inception in 2000, the ICA has been a hub for groundbreaking exhibitions featuring innovative artists like Dara Birnbaum, Jacolby Satterwhite, and Andrea Zittel, championing both global trends and local talents.
The expansion is buoyed by a $15 million lead gift from the Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation and the Henry L. Hillman Foundation. This financial support underscores the commitment to enhancing civic and cultural leadership and infrastructure in Pittsburgh.
“With a welcoming design and artist-focused mission, ICA Pittsburgh will serve as an advocate for new ideas and an aggregator of communities, providing new lines of inquiry about the most pressing issues of our time through the lens of contemporary art,” remarked Elizabeth Chodos, director of the ICA.
The new ICA Pittsburgh will not only neighbor the Carnegie Museum of Art but also be a central feature of CMU’s Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences. This dynamic building complex aims to encourage collaboration across arts, sciences, and technology, providing a unique space for interdisciplinary learning.
“As the cultural and civic anchor of the Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences, the new ICA Pittsburgh will be an important point of connection between the city and university campus,” emphasized Mary Ellen Poole, the Stanley and Marcia Gumberg Dean of the CMU College of Fine Arts.
While the Miller ICA will continue operations under its current name at its existing location, groundbreaking for the new building is expected in spring 2024, with a public opening slated for 2027.
The architectural design by ZGF Architects embraces a distinctive approach. The 338,900-square-foot building complex comprises two parts—the loop, housing the ICA Pittsburgh, and the tower, dedicated to academic and research facilities. The loop’s facade, adorned with locally crafted ultra-high-performance concrete panels, pays homage to the thistle, Scotland’s national flower, reflecting the university’s seal. The tower, with interlocking brickwork inspired by tartan plaid, complements the loop and symbolizes CMU’s rich heritage.
Public spaces, classrooms, and a restaurant will occupy the building’s first floor, offering a seamless connection to the museum’s first-floor gallery. The second floor will feature modular exhibition galleries, a central spine for public programming and education, and large windows connecting interior and exterior spaces, emphasizing the ICA’s pivotal role in connecting CMU’s campus with Pittsburgh’s historic arts district.
In essence, the unveiling of the new ICA Pittsburgh design marks a significant stride toward establishing a cultural nexus where innovation, art, and community engagement converge.