Rem Koolhaas and OMA to Design New Wing for New Museum in New York

The New Museum in New York has commissioned Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu of OMA to design a new wing adjacent to its existing building at 231 Bowery. This marks Koolhaas's first public building in New York. The expansion, announced in 2016, is driven by the need for more exhibition space and to support programs like IdeasCity and NEW INC, which focus on multidisciplinary experimentation in art, technology, and urban architecture. The new wing will replace a semi-abandoned structure purchased by the museum in 2008. The project budget is approximately $85 million, with construction set to begin in 2019. Koolhaas emphasized that the design will integrate respectfully with the existing building, designed by SANAA (Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa) and inaugurated in 2007. The museum, founded in 1977 by Marcia Tucker, now has a staff of 135 and attracts 400,000 visitors annually. It is the only New York museum entirely dedicated to contemporary art and organizes a triennial for emerging artists under 33. The expansion aims to improve visitor circulation and accommodate growing audiences.