Steven Holl's 'glowing' expansion to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art opens in Kansas City, Mo.

Clad with a mix of translucent and transparent glass panels, the new 163,000-sf Bloch Building expansion to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Mo., designed by Steven Holl, glows softly at night and lets natural light in by day.

The vibrant addition is part of a massive renovation project that increased museum space by more than 60%, doubled parking, and added amenities like a reflecting pool in front of the historic 1933 Nelson-Atkins Museum building. Much of the new space is concealed underground, with five above-ground glass “lenses” (one pictured above) serving as vaulted ceilings and cathedral-like spaces within the galleries.

Holl collaborated with local architect BNIM Architects on the design. Other Building Team members include local contractor JE Dunn and structural engineers Guy Nordenson and Associates, New York, and Structural Engineering Associates, Kansas City, Mo.