This renovation transformed a 16,600 square foot space at the base of an office building in midtown Manhattan into a spacious, light-filled photography museum. A transparent street level entry welcomes visitors into a lobby reception area and museum store before leading them through a series of flexible galleries that culminate in a double height stair hall. The stair hall provides a dramatic vertical connection to the lower level galleries and cafe, creating a seamless circulation that enhances the visitor experience.
State of the art electronic systems for lighting and climate control were integrated throughout the building, allowing the museum to care for sensitive collections that were previously unable to be accommodated. Celeste Umpierre served as the project architect while at Gwathmey Siegel Architects.
Building on this work, a two-story, 24,000 square foot section in the same building at 43rd Street and Avenue of the Americas was renovated as part of the International Center of Photography’s plan to consolidate its museum, school, and center for photographers into a single 55,000 square foot campus. The ground floor contains the entry lobby, reception, museum store, and initial galleries. The lower level, accessed through the double-height stair volume, houses additional galleries, a cafe, and support spaces.
The design transforms the building into a memorable and inspiring architectural sequence, capable of accommodating exhibitions of varying scales while establishing a state-of-the-art museum environment. The space balances density with openness and simplicity with complexity, ensuring that the architecture is as engaging as the exhibitions it presents.
Flexibility, clarity, and the visitor experience guided every design decision. The museum functions both as a public destination and as a technical facility for collection care. From spatial organization to lighting and environmental systems, every element supports the dual goals of aesthetic impact and practical performance. The result is a model of contemporary exhibition design that respects its historic urban context while creating a dynamic, adaptable environment for photography.
