The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) and design competition organizers Malcolm Reading Consultants (MRC) launch the global search for a dedicated and gifted architect-led team to reimagine the Museum’s campus.

The architecture competition is open to all local, regional, national, and international firms.

Located on a prime site in downtown Dallas, the DMA, the anchor of the Dallas Arts District, seeks an architectural reinvention to enable the Museum to better serve the diverse city of Dallas and create additional gallery space to accommodate its expanding collection including several forthcoming bequests that will add thousands of works.

The competition program, which will strengthen the DMA’s work with its communities and reaffirm the Museum’s connection to surrounding neighborhoods, envisages an addition/s that would add flexible galleries. The Museum also requires a reorganization of internal space, circulation, and entrances, as well as a comprehensive modernization framed within a thoughtful sustainability strategy.

The competition will feature a public exhibition in summer 2023 of the concepts created by the shortlisted firms. The DMA looks forward to inviting the community to provide feedback at that time.

Opened in 1984, the original campus by Edward Larrabee Barnes was surrounded by empty lots and warehouses. Barnes’ austere Modernist design in Indiana limestone forefronted elegance and calm dignity. Today, the DMA needs to re-present and enliven its spaces to relate to a more open and inclusive society with changing visitor expectations.

The estimated project budget is circa US$150-175m. The Museum will look to both public and private funding sources with a funding campaign due to launch later this year.

Design competition starts process to revitalize the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), one of North America’s leading art museums.

  • US, international, emerging and established firms invited to participate
  • A public exhibition of design concepts will be held in summer 2023
  • Initiative will expand the Museum’s gallery space with new addition(s) and reorganize the Museum’s internal spaces, circulation, and entrances, while also upgrading the existing building
  • No design required at the first stage − architect-led multidisciplinary teams asked to submit details of project approach, team composition, and experience
  • Five finalist teams to receive US$50,000 honorarium for concept designs along with up to US$10,000 expenses
  • Deadline for first stage responses is Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Competition format: The official language of the competition is US English. No design is required at the first stage — rather designers will need to study the Search Statement (available on the competition website) and submit their approach to the project, team composition and relevant experience, as well as company details, through a digital form.

  • The competition requires integrated multidisciplinary design teams comprising as a minimum: lead design architect, landscape architect, exhibition designer, and engineering disciplines including structural, services and sustainability.
  • Five teams will be shortlisted, and each will receive an honorarium of US$50,000 and expenses of up to US$10,000 for their design work when the competition concludes with the selection of the winner.
  • Non-Texan US and international teams should have a team member registered to practice in the State of Texas; the competition encourages creative design collaborations.
  • The finalists’ proposals will be judged by the DMA’s Architect Selection Committee, comprised of community members.
  • The deadline for first stage responses is: 10:00 CDT (GMT-5) Wednesday, March 15, 2023.
  • The competition’s second stage will start in spring 2023; the winner announcement is expected in summer 2023.