PARK CITY, Utah, Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kimball Art Center announces that BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group (New York, NY, and Copenhagen, Denmark) has been selected by a jury as the winning firm in its architectural design competition for its renovation and expansion. The project comprises an interior renovation of the existing Kimball Art Center in Park City, Utah, and the construction of a new building adjacent to it. The phased project is expected to begin in mid-2013, and be completed in mid-2015.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120213/NY52312 )

BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group proposed a new Kimball Art Center made of massive stacked timber elements reclaimed from train track piles from the Great Salt Lake—just one of many green solutions in the innovative plan—enclosing a spiral staircase, exhibition spaces, a restaurant, and topped by a terrace. For the historic Kimball Art Center building, BIG proposed that it be renovated into an educational hub with a rooftop sculpture garden. BIG will partner with Architectural Nexus (Salt Lake City, UT), which has a record of building in mountain areas like Park City.

In addition to BIG, the five finalists in the competition were Brooks + Scarpa Architects (Los Angeles, CA), Sparano + Mooney Architecture (Salt Lake City, UT), Will Bruder + Partners Ltd. (Phoenix, AZ), and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects (New York, NY).

Robin Marrouche, Executive Director, Kimball Art Center, explains, "BIG built the strongest case for the continuity of Park City's history with a bold, poetic new landmark. As the Kimball Art Center expands in scope and reputation, embracing the local community and a growing group of international visitors and art collectors, BIG's design sets a course for the future."

BIG Founder & Partner Bjarke Ingels, comments, "With our design for the new Kimball Art Center, we use the construction technique of the old mines and railroad trestles to create a raw, spacious framework for the art and artists of Park City."

Visitors to the Kimball Art Center—many of whom attended Park City's Sundance Film Festival—were invited to look at the five proposals and give feedback to the jury via online poll at http://www.kimballartcenter.org/transformation-project, Facebook, and Twitter.

Read the full press release at http://www.kimballartcenter.org/transformation-project/competition-winner

Press Contact: Meg Blackburn, FITZ & CO, meg@fitzandco.com, (212) 627-1455 x225

SOURCE The Kimball Art Center

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