We’re thrilled to share that the Grand Rapids Public Museum project, which will begin construction in 2023, has received the People’s Choice Award at the AIA Grand Rapids annual awards gala. The People’s Choice Award is a community-sourced award that is voted on and chosen by the public.The project will not only renovate existing space within the iconic museum, but also include a large addition, new entry experience, event space, and reimagining the outdoor space between the museum and the Grand River.

About the Grand Rapids Public Museum Project

Between 2008 and 2019, museum visitors increased each year from 68,000 to nearly 260,000. To accommodate the growing number of guests and to improve customer experience and flow, TowerPinkster was selected to lead the expansion and renovation of the museum. The updated facility will increase the Museum’s offerings and improve accessibility and inclusivity for all.

The Museum expansion includes a new South Tower which will increase space by 25,000 SF and provide more opportunities for future exhibitions, events, and education. The space will include a ground-floor cafe that will transition into a community kitchen and provide flexible spaces for indoor and outdoor classrooms and collaboration opportunities with local businesses and universities that will offer students attending the Museum school workforce development, job training, and laboratory learning. The community will benefit from culinary classes hosted in the incubator kitchen.

The new South Tower will include a rooftop event space offering panoramic views of the skyline and river. The rooftop will feature a wood ceiling that, when lifted, will fill the interior of the South Tower with sunlight. Additionally, an egress stair tower will use a cantilevered dial and brick patterning to follow the sun’s path, communicating the seasons. The South facade will utilize its orientation to harness solar energy using photovoltaic solar panels. LEARN MORE.