Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM)

Milwaukee

IN SHORT

The Milwaukee Art Museum, which overlooks Lake Michigan, was partially housed in a building designed in 1957 by Eero Saarinen as a war memorial. From the outset, two lower floors were allocated for use as an art gallery. Further exhibition space was created in 1975 by David Kahler’s 160,000 square meter addition — a structure that extends to the water’s edge and effectively creates a plinth on the axis of the Saarinen building. The Saarinen-Kahler ensemble is notable for its massive character: a concrete structure with rectangular geometry, connected to the city by a concrete bridge. However, despite its growing importance, the museum lacked architectural identity and functional clarity.

YEAR

1994 - 2001

ADDRESS

700 N. Art Museum Drive
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
United States

AWARDS

  • Business Journal '2010 Project of the Decade Real Estate Award'
  • IABSE Outstanding Structure Award
  • SEAOI '2002 Excellence in Design Award for Best Large Structure'
  • Time Magazine 'Best of 2001' for the Milwaukee Art Museum

LINKS