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Diamond Schmitt Architects and Associate Architect EXP recently announced designs for the New Brunswick Museum (NBM), a contemporary new home for Canada’s oldest continuing museum.
The design takes advantage of the extraordinary topography of the St. John’s Historic Site, capturing views of downtown St. John’s and the harbor, as well as the natural landscape and river to the west.
Upon completion, the museum’s research efforts and exhibitions will be centralized within a sustainable, decarbonized facility that fully supports the museum’s mission to “conserve, study, interpret and present New Brunswick’s natural and cultural heritage.”
“Our design was inspired by the museum’s original site, one of St. John’s great viewpoints, and incorporates New Brunswick’s rich historical heritage and natural landscape,” said Donald Schmitt, principal at Diamond Schmitt. A museum project for New Brunswick’s past, present and future, prioritizing archival and conservation capabilities, major exhibition galleries, community and educational spaces, and environmental sustainability through the use of mass timber and our zero-carbon certification Target”.
Diamond Schmitt’s design integrates the east wing of the Museum Collection and Research Center on St. John Douglas Avenue, built in 1934 adjacent to Riverview Memorial Park, while creating five new wings to the north , significantly expanding the museum’s footprint. The new museum has a total area of 134,000 square feet.
A new accessible main entrance at street level will greet visitors in a multi-level public lobby designed for museum visitors as well as community gatherings, festivals, events and receptions. The public space will feature a boutique, café, ticket services and a public “Introduction to New Brunswick” gallery. A second-floor exhibition hall overlooks the great room.
The great room will serve as a crossroads for the museum and connect the east entrance with an outdoor terrace to the west. It will also lead to a north-south promenade connected to educational spaces. To the south, the historic wing’s facade will house the library and archive reading rooms, a 115-seat auditorium, and the museum’s administrative spaces. The ground and basement levels will include expanded storage, conservation and research spaces for the museum’s renowned collections.
The second floor will feature 30,000 square feet of exhibition space spanning the length of the building, including six permanent galleries and one temporary gallery space. Open gathering spaces will crisscross the atrium from above, adding light and openness to the gallery. This level will also include floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water.
A new rooftop terrace will provide panoramic views in all directions and create additional space for community gatherings.
The site is situated above the river, with views of Marble Bay and the St. Johns River, as well as the wooded expanse beyond. The west-facing facade will be curved to respond to the views and curves of the riverfront, and will be complemented by outdoor terraces.
To the east, the site faces historic Douglas Avenue, lined with 19th-century houses and topped by the “Widow’s Walk” tower. The towers will allow visitors to see returning ships from the river port. From the east side of the museum you can see the harbor and Upper Saint John.
The east facade is in proportion to the portico and wings of the heritage building and contrasts with the historic limestone of the original facade.
In addition to the heritage side, the museum is considering the use of mass timber, a renewable resource that would enable low-carbon construction. The interior of the new building features wooden finishes and stone tiles, as well as natural light from large windows and skylights.
Diamond Schmidt is seeking zero carbon certification and will implement building decarbonisation measures such as increased insulation, triple glazed windows, electric boilers and air source heat pumps to improve heating and cooling efficiency.
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