The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

 Allegretti Architects Santa Fe, New Mexico

The O’Keeffe Museum

Described as a true gift to Santa Fe, The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is devoted to the art and life of one of America’s most admired and influential artists.  The museum is a private institution operating in close collaboration with the Museum of New Mexico.  Cooperative efforts include programming, admissions, collections sharing and membership.

The Museum’s collection encompasses a variety of subjects ranging from the artist’s iconic flowers and bleached desert bones to abstractions, nudes, landscapes, cityscapes and still lives.  Works include drawings, paintings, pastels, sculptures and watercolors.  In 1996, Greg Allegretti was selected as associate architect for the new Georgia O’Keeffe Museum accompanying project architect Richard Gluckman & Associates.  The museum opened ten months later in Santa Fe and is enjoyed by thousands of visitors annually.  The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum was built by Wolf Corp of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

On this week of May 14, 2012, Allegretti Architects extends best wishes to Barbara Lynes, recently resigned and long-time curator of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.

The Museum Building and its Architecture

In 1996, Greg Allegretti was selected as associate architect for the new Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in collaboration with project architect Richard Gluckman.  The museum opened ten months later in Santa Fe and is enjoyed by thousands of visitors annually.  The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum was built by Wolf Corp of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum found its new home in an existing Santa Fe adobe building.  This structure was remodeled to accommodate exhibit galleries while additional space was created for offices, gift shop, and support uses.

The venerable adobe building began as a modest private residence, built prior to 1910.  The Spanish Baptist Church acquired the structure in the 1040’s.  The parish built a spacious worship hall and a sequence of other rooms which enclosed a central courtyard.  These spaces eventually became the galleries of the O’Keeffe Museum.  It is ironic that adobe – a most primitive material – is used to house and exhibit such refined and treasured cultural objects.

The design features a different natural lighting element in each of the nine art spaces.  These skylights, windows and monitors remind visitors of the inspiration which O’Keeffe took from the natural light of the region.

“…Thanks from all of us for a job very well done…We could not have succeeded in this extraordinary effort without you.”

–Peter Hassrick, Director

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Georgia O’Keeffe’s Homes in Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

 For twenty years, Allegretti Architects in Santa Fe has created distinctive homes and buildings appropriate to Northern New Mexico.  Allegretti enjoys sustainable design and green building.