Memphis Brooks Art Museum Groundbreaking

MEMPHIS, USA – On June 1st a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Memphis Brooks Art Museum, which has begun construction. US Studio Director Philip Schmerbeck and Associate Jack Brough gathered with the project team alongside local officials, press and politicians including Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland for the milestone held on site.

The new architectural proposal comprises two main elements: a gallery pavilion and a reconstructed bluff that serves as its sloping base. Together they form one sculptural building that mediates between downtown Memphis and the Mississippi river. Replicating the typical downtown block as a one-story volume, the proposal extends the traditional civic scale of the city along Front Street. Referencing the precedent of downtown alleyways, which divide the surrounding blocks into quadrants, a generous courtyard serves as a central public space in the heart of this newly formed museum block. The museum courtyard extends the public realm into the building, connecting city and river through a series of cascading spaces in the museum.

The Project is forecasted to open in 2026.

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Press Release