Tacoma Art Museum (TAM)

Located in downtown Tacoma, Washington, this 50,000 sf building design houses TAM’s collection of Northwest art and glass art and provides space for major traveling exhibits, educational outreach, and other civic functions. The contemporary building design wraps itself around an interior courtyard, with a gradually sloping ramp system leading from gallery to gallery. The lower levels house administrative and curatorial support spaces and the upper level has hands-on art studios and a library.

The exterior materials are primarily concrete, stainless steel, and glass, which helps dissolve the building’s materiality into the soft light of the Northwest. The design process was community-based and involved the input of the museum board and other entities, through a series of workshops, focused meetings, and liaison.

This project was designed by Antoine Predock Architect, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen (OSKA), executive architects. Scott Allen, executive principal. Lara Swimmer, photography.