Located across from the Seattle-Bainbridge Island ferry, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) which opened its doors June 14th 2013, is the first building that is seen by both visitors and locals when arriving to the island by ferry. It is the first LEED Gold Art Museum in the State of Washington.
A building that responds to its environment The south, water-facing side of the building has a skin that is comprised of 28’ tall curved glass, allowing pedestrians a transparent view into the museum. The museum is illuminated at night, acting as a beacon that is visible from multiple vantages.
Coates Design Architects created curved wood louvers to wrap around the outside of the glass in order to block direct sunlight and provide ample shade for the artwork. The louvers are automatically controlled by a light sensor that triggers them to open and close in response to the sun’s movement.
On the second, uppermost level of the building, three long strip skylights allow natural light into the main gallery space. The risk of direct sunlight damaging any artwork is prevented through the installation of curved baffled light shelves that float underneath the skylights.
Interior features include the Grand Hall marked by a 28’ tall ceiling and floor-to-ceiling glazing that allows volumes of natural light to illuminate the space. A dramatic wood staircase with glass rails takes visitors into the Beacon Gallery.
The Beacon Gallery is unlike any other gallery in the building due to its visibility from the ferry, prominent glass shell, and overhead skylight. It is this gallery in particular that becomes illuminated at night, giving the effect of a glowing beacon.
LEED designation museums are inherently energy-intensive due to such narrow tolerances in regard to humidity and temperature stability. Therefore, LEED Gold designation, was a challenging goal. In order to achieve this status, the following features were included in the museum’s design:
- Solar orientation and sun louvers to control heat gain- 14 on-site underground wells were bored over 300’ into the earth to extract heat that is cycled through a water-to-air heat exchanger - Washington-made solar panels can be found in three different locations on the roof, generating enough electricity to supplement the building’s energy needs - Recycled materials including denim insulation for interior partition walls as well as infill on some of the exterior walls (with support from Levi Strauss)- Green label certified carpets, paints and glues (low volatile organic compounds)- Forest Stewardship Council certified wood flooring, cabinets and siding- Water reduction measures including low-flow plumbing fixtures and waterless urinals - Lighting efficiency measures (LED lighting and compact fluorescents)- A 300 SF vegetated roof garden designed by celebrated gardening experts Little and Lewis
Material Used :
1. Levolux – Motorized exterior louvers – Iris.
2. ThyssenKrupp – elevators – Continental 45
3. GAF – single ply membrane roofing – Everguard PVC Designline
4. Tigerwood – wood horizontal siding – FSC
5. Metal Sales – metal siding – TSC-1, T2832
6. Vaproshield – weather barrier – WrapShield IT
7. Prosoco – weather barrier – R-Guard Cat-5
8. Grace – roof underlayment – Ultra
9. Thermafiber – exterior wall insulation – Rainbarrier 30, 45
10. Dow Corning – sealants – 795 for exterior use
11. Kryton International – concrete waterproofing admix – Krystol Internal Membrane
12. SpecChem – concrete cure and seal – Cure and Seal WB 25
13. Custom Designed Systems – skylights – 3100 SKSL
14. Crystalite – skylights - custom
15. Armstrong – suspended ceilings – Vector Plank, Fine Fissured, prelude XL suspension
16. Wall Technology – custom curved suspended ceiling panels – Custom Curved
17. 9wood – suspended wood ceiling panels – Vesta FR
18. Eldorado Stone – stone veneer exterior – Alderwood stacked stone, dry-stack
19. Bilco – roof hatch – Single Leaf Roof Scuttle Type S
20. Shanahans – hollow metal frames
21. Vancouver – wood doors
22. Stanley – door hardware
23. Hager – door hardware
24. ICF
25. EPRO – ICF waterproofing – Ecoshield
26. IRIS – motorized window covering – custom
27. Cemco – light gauge metal framing – Viperstud, hat channel, slotted track, unpunched track
28. Certainteed – wall board – GlasRoc shaftliner, Densglass, ProRoc
29. Moncrieff – precast concrete curb – custom
30. MM Systems – seismic joint covers – too many to list...
31. Al’s Welding – steel and metal fabrications – custom guardrails, stairs, greenscreen
32. Bonded Logic – building wall insulation – UltraTouch Denim Insulation
33. Knauf – acoustic insulation – Black Acoustical Insulation, wall and ceiling liner, acoustical board
34. Demilec – spray foam insulation – Heatlok Soy 200