Jane & Arthur Stieren Center for Exhibitions

This book traces the building of French architect Jean-Paul Viguier’s contemporary addition to the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas. Opened in 2008, the 45,000-square-foot structure houses light-filled galleries for exhibitions, a glass-fronted gallery for sculpture from the museum’s collection, a gallery for paper works, wall cases for small objects and a state-of-the-art lecture hall and learning centres. The Center’s elegant design, rich materials and architectural details both contrast with and complement the original Spanish Colonial Revival residence it adjoins. Images with explanatory text trace the process from selection of the architect, through design and construction, to the opening of the addition and current use of the space. Photographs of exhibition installations augment views of the Center’s architecture and features such as the roof structure and glass ceiling, custom metal work and the sculpture garden.