The jury is in: Weiss/Manfredi will design the new addition at Kansas City’s Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The New York office beat out Kengo Kuma & Associates, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Selldorf Architects, Studio Gang, and WHY Architecture in the international competition. SCAPE; Atelier Ten; WeShouldDoItAll; Taliaferro & Browne; Jaros, Baum & Bolles; and Severud Associates are also on the winning project team, together with Weiss/Manfredi. The choice to go with Weiss/Manfredi was unanimous, a spokesperson for Nelson-Atkins said in a statement. “Weiss/Manfredi’s concept absolutely blew us away as it captured the spirit of the museum while offering a bold vision for our future,” Nelson-Atkins CEO Julián Zugazagoitia said. The design is meant to evoke signal transparency, both literal and philosophical, the architects said. (Courtesy Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art) “We are deeply honored to work with The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art on this transformative project,” Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi said in a joint statement. “It is a rare and meaningful opportunity to reimagine the museum as a place where art, architecture and landscape converge to reveal a place of discovery and delight,” they added, “and we look forward to collaborating with the museum and community to create a more transparent and welcoming cultural campus.” The Weiss/Manfredi addition will face the Bloch Building by Steven Holl. (Courtesy Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art) Weiss/Manfredi called its winning design a “connected tapestry.” It reestablishes a front door for the museum to the north side, opening up the west side to events and a learning lobby on Oak Street. This lobby will spill out to the “Commons” and a new photography center. The galleries will overlook the main quad. (Courtesy Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art) The proposal responds to the 2007 addition by Steven Holl: Three repetitive volumes branch out, creating a harmonious rhythm. A horseshoe archway underneath the existing 1933 building’s grand stair connotes a grand gesture. “Central to our competition was the need to respect the Nelson-Atkins’ original, neoclassical building, as well as our beautiful Bloch building, while also bringing something new to our campus,” Zugazagoitia said. “This concept delivers all of that, and we look forward to working with Marion, Michael, and their team to collaborate on an expansion design that keeps our commitment to great experiences with art and forges a deep sense of belonging and connection within our community.” The competition, organized by Malcolm Reading Consultants, was first shared in May 2024, as reported by AN. The open call went out in October 2024, gathering 182 submissions—but only six came out on top. A timeline for construction was not issued.