Owner: Woodruff Arts Center - High Museum of Art
Location: Atlanta
Contractor: Skanska Russell, a joint venture of Skanska USA Building, Atlanta, and H.J. Russell, Atlanta
Architect: Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Genoa, Italy

Atlanta's High Museum of Art is completing a major expansion designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano of Italy. The project is the cornerstone of the overall upgrade of Atlanta's Woodruff Arts Center.

Three new buildings for the High will provide exhibition space and enhanced education and programming facilities, more than doubling the size of the museum.

On this project, the construction team worked closely with Renzo Piano on his "village of the arts" design, which encompasses three new buildings; a restaurant; and outdoor café, piazzas, sculpture terrace and green space. In addition, Skanska built the new parking garage facility with parking for 411 cars.

Renovations of the existing High Museum of Art include new gallery spaces, office and administration areas, curator and restoration facilities and new retail space.

The architect's early design called for a glass ceiling with light diffusers that would move automatically, following the sun, but during preconstruction research, Skanska discovered performance issues with this design.

Renzo Piano then came up with a different roof system consisting of 1,000 light scoops, or velas, that capture northern light and filter it into the skyway galleries, allowing for natural illumination.