Buffalo AKG Art Museum

The Albright-Knox Art Gallery Board of Directors launched the AK360 Campus Development and Expansion Project in 2014 to expand and upgrade the original 1905 and 1962 expansion facilities. The proposed program for this project consists of 43,500 square feet of renovated space, 67,000 net square feet of new space, and a 60,000-square-foot underground parking garage with 100 spaces. Located within a historic Olmsted Park setting, other enhancements include a curved glass bridge that curves around a grove of oak trees that are over one hundred years old, allowing visitors to walk between the original buildings and the new Gundlach building.

The new building’s glass façade allows those passing by to view some of the artwork from the exterior of the building. A courtyard was covered with a n instillation called Common Sky, creating an indoor space that can be used free of charge to the public for gatherings, concerts, and occasional art displays. Where there was once a surface parking lot, there is now a great lawn, enhancing the sustainability of the space by reducing impervious materials on site while provide the new venue for the public concerts that take place through the spring, summer, and falls months. The project involved coordination between multiple agencies including the City of Buffalo, Buffalo Sewer Authority, Olmsted Parks Conservancy, and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). The team aided in permitting with the City of Buffalo, State, and local agencies including a permitting effort that resulted in a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for the site during the SEQR process. Wendel provided support for SHPO historical and archaeological reviews. The Buffalo AKG Art Museum reopened to the public in the summer of 2023.