Stanford, Cantor Center for Visual Arts

Heavily damaged by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, The Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University formerly the Stanford University Museum of Art underwent a major renovation and construction project.

Designed by Polshek & Partners, Architects, of New York, the Center includes the splendidly renovated historic museum building, a new wing, and garden areas. The $36.8 million project included full seismic upgrade of the 78,000 square foot historic museum building, addition of a new wing measuring 42,000 square feet, enhancement of the Rodin Sculpture Garden, and addition of new garden areas for contemporary sculpture.

The new wing adds 12,000 square feet of exhibition space for special exhibitions and installations of the Center's collection of modern and contemporary art, and a sculpture terrace, auditorium, bookshop and cafe. The addition has an elegant, modern design that complements the 1891 building. It features a full-length glass wall overlooking a courtyard between the two buildings.

The Center is named for noted philanthropists Iris Cantor and the late B. Gerald Cantor who have been long-time supporters of the Stanford Museum, and over the last twenty years have donated more than 180 works by Auguste Rodin to the collection. The collection has given Stanford the largest collection of Rodin sculpture outside of the Musée Rodin in Paris. Many are installed in the enhanced Rodin Sculpture Garden adjacent to the new wing.

Rudolph and Sletten self-performed its own concrete work requiring over 140 concrete-driven foundation piles to support the new steel structure.