Pulitzer Arts Foundation, located in St. Louis, will reopen on May 1 following a major renovation that has transformed the lower level of its Tadao Ando-designed building and nearly doubled its public space. Conceived to enhance the Pulitzer’s curatorial and public program, the construction project repurposed offices and storage into 3,700 square feet of new galleries to accommodate additional exhibitions, artist-driven activities, and collaborations. The Pulitzer building is Ando’s first free-standing, public project in the United States, and the renovation, completed in consultation with Ando’s office, marks the first alteration to the building since it opened in 2001.
Untouched by the dynamic use of natural light that distinguishes the building’s upper level, the new galleries provide additional opportunities for exhibitions and programs, allowing the Pulitzer increased capabilities to show multimedia works and those sensitive to light. The new galleries were also designed with the Pulitzer’s commitment to experimentation in mind: concrete floors were substituted for more resilient white oak, and ceilings and walls were built with special materials to optimize the acoustic conditions of the space. The subtle shift in design materials complements the building’s existing spaces, while adding further flexibility to experiment with exhibitions and programs.
The renovation also allows the Pulitzer to present concurrent exhibitions for the first time, and the institution will reopen with solo exhibitions of Alexander Calder, Richard Tuttle, and Fred Sandback. For more details on the Pulitzer, visit pulitzerarts.org. 
