NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF ART
raleigh, north carolina

Barnhill Contracting Company was working as a joint venture partner with Balfour Beatty Construction on the $138-million expansion of the North Carolina Museum of Art. The project is comprised of a new 127,000-square foot building which houses the museum's expansive permanent collection, which includes pieces spanning 5,000 years, from antiquity to present day as well as renovation to the existing East Building, which houses the museum's expanded temporary collection exhibition galleries, education spaces, art storage, library and administrative areas.

The new building is situated between Blue Ridge Road and the existing East Building on the 164-acre museum park campus. Construction includes 65,000 square feet of day-lit galleries, which increases the space for the permanent collection by 54%. An 11,500-square foot central sculpture hall and linear pool organizes circulation to galleries around five courtyards and 360 custom ceiling coffers and skylights diffuse lighting and filter natural lighting into the galleries and interior spaces.

The exterior of the building is comprised of 2,200 aluminum extrusions, each four inches wide by 28 feet tall, spaced two inches apart. Glass curtain walls define each of the five sculpture courts, which visitors will be able to access from the galleries.