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The Whitney Museum of American Art at Gansevoort

New York / USA

Opened in 2015, the new Whitney Museum of American Art transforms the visitor experience with expanded exhibition space and a comprehensive view of its modern and contemporary collection of over 19,000 works of art. Located in New York’s Meatpacking District near the High Line, the asymmetrical design integrates art, architecture, and urban landscape, creating a vibrant cultural destination that fosters public engagement and accessibility to American art.

A city street with a large building in the background
© Karin Jobst
 

A dynamic new home in the Meatpacking District

 

Previously housed in Marcel Breuer's 1966 building on Madison Avenue, the Whitney Museum now occupies a dynamic location in New York’s Meatpacking District. Facing Gansevoort Street, the museum sits between the Hudson River and the High Line, the city’s elevated urban park created on a former 1930s railroad spur.

The museum’s eight-story structure, clad in pale blue-grey steel, presents a striking asymmetrical design. Its west-facing side toward the Hudson is substantial and full-height, while lighter terraces and glass walkways cascade toward the High Line, integrating the park into the museum’s architecture.

A group of people are walking down a sidewalk in front of a building
© Nic Lehoux
Previously housed in Marcel Breuer's 1966 building on Madison Avenue, the Whitney Museum now occupies a dynamic location in New York’s Meatpacking District.
A group of people are sitting in a room with a large mural on the wall
© Nic Lehoux
A shadow of a person standing on top of a building is cast on a wall
© Nic Lehoux
A stop sign is in the middle of a busy street
© Nic Lehoux
A large building with a lot of windows is in the middle of a city
© Nic Lehoux

A welcoming entrance and engaging public spaces

 

The museum entrance features a striking cantilevered "largo," a public space that acts as a transitional zone between the street and the museum, offering shared views of the Hudson and the nearby High Line. From this largo, visitors enter the main lobby, which doubles as a free-entry public gallery.

On the third floor, a 170-seat retractable theater provides double-height views of the Hudson River, alongside technical areas and administrative offices, enhancing both the museum’s functionality and visitor experience.

 
A city skyline with a large body of water in the foreground
© Nic Lehoux
A white model of a building on a black background
© RPBW
Terraces and balconies over the city at the Whitney Museum
© Nic Lehoux
A group of people are sitting on the roof of a building
© Nic Lehoux
 

Expansive galleries and dynamic spaces for art and learning

 
 

The Whitney’s gallery space spans levels five through eight, with the fifth floor featuring an impressive 18,000-square-foot, column-free gallery—New York City’s largest open-plan museum gallery—dedicated to large-scale contemporary art exhibitions. The museum’s permanent collection is displayed on levels six and seven, which step back toward the west, creating 13,000 square feet of outdoor sculpture terraces.

Museum offices, an education center, conservation labs, and a library reading room occupy levels three through seven, along with a multi-use theater for film, video, and performances. The top floor hosts a “studio” gallery and a café, both illuminated by a distinctive saw-tooth skylight system.

 
A group of people are walking down the stairs of a building
© Nic Lehoux
An aerial view of a city with a large building in the foreground
© Nic Lehoux
A group of people are standing in a large room with a lot of windows
© Nic Lehoux
A busy city street with a large building in the background and a bridge over it
© Nic Lehoux
Whitney Museum construction
© RPBW, ph. Kevin Schorn

Project Details

Status

2007 - 2015

Client

Whitney Museum of American Art

Design

Renzo Piano Building Workshop in collaboration with Cooper Robertson (New York), architects

Design Team

M.Carroll and E.Trezzani (partners in charge) with K.Schorn, T.Stewart, S.Ishida (partner), A.Garritano, F.Giacobello, I.Guzman, G.Melinotov, L. Priano, L.Stuart and C. Chabaud, J.Jones, G.Fanara, M.Fleming, D.Piano, J.Pejkovic; M.Ottonello (CAD operator); F.Cappellini, F.Terranova, I.Corsaro (models)

Consultants

Robert Silman Associates (structure); Jaros, Baum & Bolles (MEP, fire prevention); Arup (lighting); Heintges & Associates (facade engineering); Phillip Habib & Associates (civil engineering); Theatre Projects (theatre equipment); Cerami & Associates (audiovisual equipment, acoustics); Piet Oudolf with Mathews Nielson (landscaping); Viridian Energy Environmental (LEED consultant)

Environmental Certifications

LEED Gold Certification (2016)

Construction Manager

Turner Construction

Awards

ENR New York and New Jersey, Regional Best Project Award (2015)
ENR New York and New Jersey, Best of the Best Projects, Best of the Best Cultural/Worship (2015)
Greater New York Construction User Council, Outstanding Cultural Project Award (2015)
AIA Merit Award, American Institute of Architects New York (2016)