The jury selecting the museum design proposal consisted of: Dunham Gooding, [president of the board of the Bellingham Whatcom Public Facilities District], Richard Haag, [principal of Richard Haag Associates Landscape Architects of Seattle] Sylvia Haggen, [community representative], Robin Halliday, [Public Facilities District board member], Andrew Kramer, [principal of West Office Exhibition Design of Oakland, Calif.], Thomas Livesay, [director of the Whatcom Museum of History & Art], Jeffrey McClure, [principal of Ross McClure Cornwell Architects of Bellingham], Norman Pfeiffer, [principal of Pfeiffer Partners Architects of Los Angeles], and Allison G. Williams, [principal and design director of Ai Architects of San Francisco].

The selection means they'll design the new art and children's museum, an addition to the Whatcom Museum of History & Art, at 216 Grand Ave., just two blocks away from the museum's old City Hall building.
The Bellingham-Whatcom Public Facilities District bought the former state Employment Security Department building at 216 Grand Ave. for $1.69 million in July 2004. This purchase is part of long-term plans to build a downtown cultural district. Board members hope the $6.1 million project, to be built after the current building is demolished, will invigorate private redevelopment in the area as well.

"The museum's design is dominated by a translucent, curving wall that will draw light into the building during the day and glow like a paper lantern at night" Jim Olson Architect
The "light catcher" would overlook an entry courtyard that would include a long fountain at the base of the screen and would be landscaped with gingko trees, ferns, fawn lily, trillium and other plants with a "native, a few million years ago" theme, said landscape architect Charles Anderson.
Outside, the red brick walls would reflect the shape and feel of Bellingham's downtown architecture, with windows providing glimpses into the art galleries or alcoves with sculptures at street level.

The plan is to "turn the entire sidewalk into a gallery," Olson said.
The team recommends taking a blank exterior alley wall and turning it into a "community art studio," on which residents could paint their own masterpieces. There could be many problems with this approach since one person's vision is another's nightmare.
The architectural opportunities create a massive canvas for the ephemeral projection of video art works. Imagine showing time based work, only at night. You would only have to replace the tape/CD/DVD rather than covering over someone else's work. The museum could commission digital artists to create site specific works and then play them in heavy rotation.
Will any of this happen? The first step has been taken, the committee has selected a great design, now it it up to the patrons of the Museum to insist on realizing the full potential of this innovative work.

Images courtesy of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects