MassMu expansion design earns award
Founded in 1933, the Massillon Museum is a regional history and art museum, attracting visitors of all ages and demographics to experience permanent and temporary exhibitions, programs and community events.
At its Nov. 1 awards ceremony, The American Institute of Architects Cleveland presented DLR Group | Westlake Reed Leskosky with a Merit Award for its design work on the Massillon Museum’s expansion project.
In the project summary, the architects wrote: “The newly expanded and renovated Massillon Museum in Massillon, Ohio provides new opportunities for patrons and staff, as well as new modern vitality to a community institution. An addition provides a new home for the Paul Brown and Massillon Tiger Football Gallery and Archive, office spaces, a flexible community event space, and additional classrooms. Renovations of the existing museum building allowed for the creation of gallery space for contemporary artists, permanent gallery space, a ceramic studio and support spaces.”
"It is incredible and humbling to have seen this project realized, from discussions nearly a decade ago about the need to expand to strategizing our property acquisition, garnering both public and private support, and enlisting the right leadership with vision and determination to ensure its success,” Massillon Museum executive director Alexandra Coon said. "The staff, board and campaign committee — chaired by Bob and Nancy Gessner — never wavered in their shared belief that this project was necessary to allow MassMu new opportunities to serve its community."
Founded in 1933, the Massillon Museum is a regional history and art museum, attracting visitors of all ages and demographics to experience permanent and temporary exhibitions, programs and community events. To address current and future growth demands, the museum undertook a significant expansion of its existing facility, a four-story (including a basement) 1930s Art Deco building.
The project includes a modern four-story addition: flexible classrooms in the basement, an entry-level event space — Gessner Hall — which can open to the adjacent lawn, a second-level gallery and research space dedicated to legendary football coach Paul Brown and the Massillon Tiger football program, and a third level containing administrative and archive space.
The former Chamber of Commerce building, which the museum purchased, has been renovated into a ceramics studio and support space. The chamber conference room was demolished for the creation of green space, and an adjacent office building was renovated into the relocated Studio M Gallery for contemporary artists and support space. Renovations in the 1930s building also include additional restrooms, a sensory room and revitalized gallery space.
The addition expresses a modern spirit while referencing the historic original fabric of adjacent buildings and the industrial heritage of the region. The restrained aesthetic of the addition — including a slight cantilever of the upper stories — allows the expansion to exert its own presence while being respectful of the craftsmanship of the 1930s building.
The expansion project has been made possible by a Capital Campaign spearheaded by Bob and Nancy Gessner. Contributors include the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission; Timken Foundation of Canton; Aultman Health Foundation; Deubel Foundation; Fresh Mark Inc.; Fred F. Silk Charitable Foundation; Gessner Family Foundation; Hoover Foundation; MCTV Inc.; Paul and Carol David Foundation; Shearer’s Snacks Charity Foundation; Community Charitable Fund at Stark Community Foundation; and dozens of additional foundations, organizations, businesses and individuals.
The Massillon Museum receives operating support from the Ohio Arts Council and ArtsinStark.
The museum's relationship with its community is reflected in this project. The American Alliance of Museums Center for the Future of Museums recently featured Massillon Museum in a blog post, highlighting its community engagement, at www.aam-us.org/category/future-of-museums/.
The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way E. in downtown Massillon.
To learn more, call 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free.