The architectural firm of EHDD will be part of another major museum opening when the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) expansion opens on May 14, 2016. EHDD served as both Associate Architect on the Snøhetta-designed expansion as well as the architect for additional renovations throughout the original Mario Botta-designed building and new expansion spaces.
Significantly, EHDD also had the opportunity to lend high level technical expertise to this project with its design of the newly-renovated Phyllis Wattis Theater, an important part of the overall SFMOMA expansion, given the theater’s constant use for film, lectures, meetings, and live performances. As part of the expansion, half of the original Wattis Theater was removed and replaced, keeping the same seating capacity as the original theater design of 275 seats.
EHDD Principal Duncan Ballash said, “The primary design goal for the Wattis Theater renovation was flexibility. The Wattis is really a workhorse space for SFMOMA, allowing them to do public lectures, screening of art films and more, as well as to be able to gather staff together - that flexibility was key. As the design progressed, it became clear that there were constraints due to the new program, structure, and systems surrounding this existing theater, creating challenges for the performance and acoustical goals. As I considered these design challenges, I immediately thought this would be a great project for Meyer Sound.”