Kengo Kuma Selected for $100M Brandywine Museum Expansion in Pennsylvania

The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art has chosen Kengo Kuma & Associates, with Field Operations and Schwartz Silver Architects, for a $100 million expansion of its 15-acre campus in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, into a 325-acre public preserve. The project includes a new 40,000-square-foot museum building, renovation of the existing 19th-century grist mill, and a ten-mile loop of walking trails connecting to the historic studios of N.C. Wyeth and Andrew Wyeth. Groundbreaking is expected next spring, with opening in autumn 2029. Kengo Kuma's design features four shed-like wood-clad pavilions flanking a central entrance with views of the preserve. The new building will provide 14,000 square feet of flexible galleries, including a landscape gallery and spaces for intergenerational Wyeth exhibitions. Brandywine has raised nearly 50% of the cost, with contributions from the Wyeth Foundation for American Art and Wyeth family members. Director Thomas Padon calls the expansion a 'seismic opportunity' to showcase the collection. The firm was selected from 32 firms, with six finalists. The design team used natural materials from the site in their presentation, leading to a unanimous decision. Brandywine aims to increase annual attendance from 100,000 by at least 20%.