Opened in 1955, The Clark Art Institute is one of the few institutions in the United States that combines a public art museum with research and academic programs centered on topics of art and art history.
Altieri’s work with the Institute, beginning with master plan design for the full campus completed by Cooper Robertson & Partners, has been ongoing since 2001 with over 70 projects. The first phase of the master plan – the new 32,000 SF Lunder Center at Stone Hill designed by Tadao Ando in partnership with Gensler – was completed in 2008. Integrated into the 140-acre landscape with a network of trails and walking paths, Stone Hill features galleries, a cafe, and the notable Williamstown Art Conservation Center, the largest regional conservation center in the country. In 2014, the next phase of the master plan focused on the new 42,600 SF Clark Center designed by Tadao Ando with Gensler as Executive Architect. The most significant intervention since The Clark’s founding, the project provided a new primary entrance for visitors, admissions, dining and retail amenities, a new central plant and loading dock. It also included more than 11,000 SF of special exhibit gallery space and the glass-enclosed Michael Conforti Pavilion, a multiuse space that allows for exhibitions, conferences, lectures, and performances. Additional work focused on the Manton Research Center, a 107,460 SF red granite building housing research center, library, graduate seminar rooms, galleries, offices, and an auditorium. A 2014 renovation by Selldorf Architects in partnership with Gensler provided the new Manton Study Center for Works on Paper, a reading room, renovated gallery spaces, a new fire suppression system, and other code-compliance upgrades throughout the building. Further renovation by the Selldorf and Gensler team added 2200+ SF of gallery space to the original Museum Building, accompanied by new lighting and environmental controls.
