A beloved museum’s university setting, reclaimed
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}

DETAILS

LocationStanford, California United States
ClientStanford University
Size2.5 acres

The original Stanford campus museum was damaged in an earthquake in 1989. With help from major namesake donors to the museum, significant site improvements, expansion and seismic renovation improvements were accomplished. SWA provided master plan updates and full landscape architectural services including pedestrian pathways; two major terraces for displaying sculpture; a landscaped courtyard; and the renovation and integration of the existing Rodin Sculpture Garden, complete with new center gardens. This reinvestment in a unique university attribute integrates the existing sculpture garden with new building and outdoor elements and connects the Cantor Center with the larger Stanford campus. SWA’s partners on this project were Polshek and Partners Architects, with historic preservation consultation by the Architectural Resources Group; seismic engineering was performed by H.J. Degenkolb Associates.

Related Projects

University of Houston Law Center

The University of Houston Law Center, established in 1947, has earned national recognition, with three of its programs ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News and World Report. Despite these academic accolades, the original Law Center building faced significant challenges due to its location and design. Situated in Houston’s low-lying coastal prairie ecoregion...

University of North Texas Frisco

The University of North Texas (UNT) envisioned a transformative greenfield campus in Frisco to support the region’s rapid growth and diverse economic needs. The site’s challenges, including topographical variation, stormwater management, and integration with natural and urban contexts, required a master plan that fostered innovation and sustainabil...

CSCEC Steel Headquarters Office and Museum

CSCEC Steel is a division of the world’s largest construction company, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited. CSCEC Steel is recognized as a leading global steel structure manufacturer; their projects include the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing, the Shanghai IFC, the new Abu Dhabi International Airport, and the 26th Universiade Main Stadium. To...

Chabot College Library & Grand Court

In collaboration with architects Group 4 and HMC, SWA transformed Chabot College’s predominantly paved Grand Court into an outdoor living room at the heart of the 14,000-student campus. The opportunity to reimagine the space came in conjunction with siting, massing, and designing the new iconic, three-story faceted library where the campus’ main walks intersec...

Norton Simon Museum

Since 1975, the Norton Simon Museum has anchored a stretch of Pasadena’s Colorado Boulevard as a defining cultural institution in Southern California. Its sculpture garden — designed by Nancy Goslee Power and modeled after the gardens at Giverny — has long shaped how visitors experience the museum, offering a quiet, green threshold before stepping inside...

Coda at Tech Square

The Coda building in Technology Square represents a $375 million investment into Atlanta’s budding innovation district – the Southeast’s premier innovation neighborhood. The area has attracted industry innovation centers including AT&T Mobility, Panasonic Automotive, Southern Company, Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot, Coca-Cola Enterprises, NCR,...

Stanford West Apartments

SWA placed a special emphasis on maintaining the riparian corridor with native planting, using consideration when dealing with the archaeologically sensitive areas of the site, as well as existing recreation trails and landscape amenities such as parks and play areas. The internal street grid and architectural and landscape elements are designed to recall the ...

National Civil Rights Museum

Located at the Lorraine Motel—site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination on April 4, 1968—the National Civil Rights Museum serves as both a national institution and an international destination for reflection and remembrance. Led by Howard+Revis in collaboration with Self+Tucker and SWA, the west campus landscape design represents a return to a s...