After a year of delays and deliberations in selecting an architect to build the University's new art museum, officials have expanded the pool of firms they are considering.
Since Dallas philanthropist Raymond Nasher's $7.5 million gift to the University last November, administrators have been unable to secure either an architect or a specific location for the $15 million museum, badly needed to house Duke's burgeoning collections. "I was hoping we'd be further along than we are," said Executive Vice President Tallman Trask.
The set of interested architects has changed in size and composure since late last year. "Some [architects] have dropped out. Some have been added. Some have come to interview and say they don't think it's appropriate [for their firms]," said University Architect John Pearce, who will work with whichever firm is chosen.
Trask said some of the delays can be attributed to conflicts in scheduling interviews with the architects.
Some firms, while interested, were unsure whether they would be able to assume additional projects. "[Steven] Holl is quite interested... [but] we don't know whether he's got time for us," said Trask, adding that some architects were busier than usual due to the current strength of the economy.
Administrators spent several months working with an architect who later decided not to work within the $3 million limit. "There was one [architect] where we thought we had an agreement, but could not agree on a cost. It was too expensive," Trask said.
Although Trask said that several architects from the original group of five dropped out of the running for one reason or another, he noted that Holl was still under consideration. Four or five new architects have also been added to the pool.
Pearce said famous architects Renzo Piano and Frank Gehry, who were not in the group of five, have also expressed interest in the project. A full list of architects currently under consideration will be released later this week, Trask said.
Art Museum Staff Specialist Daniel Thomas said administrators had been in meetings last week and have more meetings planned for this week to discuss the project.
Trask said there would be more architect interviews in December. "We just haven't gotten the right combination yet," Trask said. "We're optimistic that we'll get an architect by the end of the year."
Administrators must also set a location for the new museum to be constructed. Trask said that while he preferred a site on Anderson Street near Duke University Road, there are several other possibilities. "We're not looking at the others until the architect is in place," he said.
Pearce said there are at least four potential sites. The current target date for breaking ground is late fall 2000 or early spring 2001, Trask said, adding that designing the Nasher Museum of Art should take about a year.
Little design work has been done so far. "We have some good ideas about the interior, but [there has been] no conversation about the exterior," Trask said.
Jaime Levy contributed to this story.
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