ICA Miami Appoints Gensler to Design Second Museum Building in Miami Design District

The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) has appointed Gensler to lead the renovation and expansion of its second building in Miami's Design District, with the project scheduled to open in late 2027. Acquired by the museum in 2024, the building is located on the same block as its existing facility and will add 30,000 square feet of space, doubling ICA Miami's facilities. The expansion will introduce new galleries, educational spaces, and venues for public programming, establishing a multi-site campus intended to extend the museum's exhibition and community activities.

The renovation will introduce eight galleries across the building's first and second floors, including dedicated spaces for ICA Miami's permanent collection and additional galleries for temporary exhibitions. The project will also establish the Knight Foundation Gallery for New Media, a space intended to support artists experimenting with emerging technologies and new forms of artistic expression. The third floor will accommodate a flexible venue for talks, lectures, symposia, performances, and other public programs, expanding the museum's capacity to host activities beyond its exhibition spaces.

The design reimagines the building's entrance and facade through a more transparent arrival sequence, aiming to establish a closer relationship between the museum and the surrounding public realm. Renovated outdoor spaces will incorporate shaded courtyards and sculptural landscapes, providing areas for gathering, reflection, and community activities. According to the museum, the project will extend its existing facilities through a combination of exhibition spaces, public areas, and educational resources, further connecting its cultural programming with the Miami Design District. The project also forms part of ICA Miami's broader sustainability commitments, which include sustainable shipping methods for exhibitions and carbon offsets for selected major exhibitions.

Founded in 2014, ICA Miami opened its permanent home in the Miami Design District in 2017. Since then, the institution has organized nearly 100 exhibitions, supported more than 1,000 artists through exhibitions and acquisitions, and welcomed over one million visitors. The museum provides free admission and access to its educational programs, positioning the expansion as an extension of its existing public and cultural activities.

In other cultural infrastructure news, Powerhouse Parramatta, designed by Moreau Kusunoki with Genton as local architects, opened on November 7, 2026. Meanwhile, Herzog & de Meuron and EHDD have unveiled the masterplan for the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity in Marin County, California, transforming a mid-century warehouse into a cultural destination with galleries, learning spaces, and a theater, alongside landscape design by Field Operations. In New Mexico, the 31,000-square-foot New Mexico Literacy Institute, designed by Multistudio and Design Plus Architects, is scheduled to open in December 2026, bringing educational, recreational, and community spaces together in a statewide literacy center.