SAN ANTONIO’S NEW DAVID ADJAYE–DESIGNED CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER TO OPEN IN OCTOBER
Ruby City, a new contemporary art center designed by the Ghanaian British architect David Adjaye, will open in San Antonio, Texas, this fall. Newly released photos of the angular crimson building show that construction on the fourteen-thousand-square-foot structure has been completed.
Envisioned by the late artist, philanthropist, and collector Linda Pace in 2007 as a “Ruby City,” the new museum will house the Linda Pace Foundation Collection of more than nine hundred paintings, sculptures, installations, and video works, including pieces by artists Isaac Julien, Jennifer Steinkamp, Kiki Smith, Do Ho Suh, and Wangechi Mutu.
The design for the red concrete-clad building was inspired, in part, by the Spanish missions constructed by the Spanish Empire between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. “My goal was to translate Linda’s idea into a building that will do justice to her legacy,” Adjaye said. “It is a tremendous responsibility and one that is dear to my heart.”
He added: “Linda had a clear vision for how the institution should be an inspirational space for the community and interact with its surroundings, drawing visitors into the jewel-like structure while connecting to the San Antonio landscape. The building creates a narrative journey through the space that allows the collection to be accessed in an organic and meaningful way.”
Established by Adjaye in June 2000, Adjaye Associates is known for projects such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. The firm collaborated with Alamo Architects on Ruby City, which was conceived as an ambulatory loop.
Ruby City is part of a growing campus that also includes Chris Park, a one-acre public green space named in memory of Pace’s son, and Studio, an auxiliary exhibition space that presents curated shows and programming throughout the year. Ruby City will be free and open to the public year round.
Commenting on the project, foundation trustee Kathryn Kanjo said: “It is truly an incredible feat to see Linda’s dream come fully into fruition. Ruby City will not only provide the San Antonio community with a vigorous arts program, deepening the appreciation and accessibility to contemporary culture, but also will house the incredibly significant collection of work that Linda worked her entire life to build.”
