Kiku Obata & Company

Kiku Obata & Company was commissioned by the Pulitzer Arts Foundation to assess their urban properties and create a framework plan to guide the evolution of the museum’s campus. Rooted in the Pulitzer’s mission to expand public engagement with art through dynamic, site-specific exhibitions and programs, the framework focused on improvements to enhance the surrounding neighborhood.

The plan proposed phased developments, including reallocating and renovating existing spaces to optimize staff operations, production, and visitor experiences; planning new structures to support long-term goals; strategic property acquisitions; and infrastructure and landscape upgrades.

Through interviews with staff and leadership, we identified space needs and workflows to inform program alternatives for a proposed building addition adjacent to current facilities. Options included new spaces, staff relocation, departmental adjacencies, and optimized use of existing buildings. Massing and site studies addressed future growth, outdoor spaces for staff and public use, streamlined exhibit production, and façade designs integrating modern elements into the historic campus.

One key project that emerged from the plan was the preservation of Spring Church. Kiku Obata & Company transformed this crumbling roofless church into an open-air stone pavilion for community gathering and public art. A beloved neighborhood landmark, Spring Church and its adjacent garden are located around the corner from the Museum.

The Gothic Revival church, built in 1884 by Delmar Baptist Church, housed several congregations, including the Memorial Church of God in Christ from 1956 until a 2001 fire largely destroyed the building. A garden on the property once held a 1905 apartment building designed by architect Theodore C. Link. This building, too, was demolished after a 1974 fire. In 2020, the Pulitzer acquired the site to stabilize the remains and restore the building and land for public use.

Kiku Obata & Company collaborated with structural engineers to preserve the ruinous character of the building while ensuring its stability through minimal architectural interventions. To prevent the walls from collapsing, a painted steel support structure was introduced, carefully matched to the stone walls for visual harmony. A 10-foot excavation of the interior floor enabled the installation of an underground drainage system and the gravel floor was maintained to respect the site’s raw aesthetic. A stone specialist assessed the integrity of the walls, advising on structural reinforcements and tuckpointing needs. Lighting was added to highlight the building’s form and to enable use for after-dark events. Electrical outlets, data, speakers, and security were concealed within the structure to ensure optimal conditions for modern performances and exhibits.

For the landscape around the Church, the team preserved historical traces of the demolished apartment building that once stood on the site and ensured the space was ADA accessible and minimally lit to preserve the view of the sky from inside the church. Collaborating with Studio LandArts, the team developed a landscape and planting design that complements the building’s character and integrates the space seamlessly into its surroundings.