The article details the transformation of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum through its AK360 expansion project, led by engineering firm Buro Happold in partnership with OMA and Cooper Robertson. The centerpiece is the new Jeffrey E. Gundlach Building, a 29,000-square-foot structure adding three levels of gallery space, along with flexible event spaces, educational classrooms, and public areas like the Town Square and sculpture gardens. Buro Happold provided MEPFP engineering, IT/AV systems, security, and sustainability consulting to integrate modern infrastructure while preserving the historic campus.
This project matters because it doubles the museum's exhibition capacity and repositions a century-old institution as a community-driven cultural hub for Western New York. The engineering challenges—such as installing invisible HVAC systems in historic buildings—demonstrate how museums can balance preservation with sustainability and accessibility. The AK360 project serves as a model for adapting historic art institutions to 21st-century needs without compromising their architectural heritage.