Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum

The Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum, the first purpose-built art museum at Simon Fraser University, will be positioned at the gateway to the Burnaby campus, master planned by Arthur Erikson. Its location at the arrival plaza speaks to the importance of the facility’s role as a bridge between university and community. The facility will serve, not only as a hub for collecting art and an academic resource, but also as a welcoming and easily accessible amenity for the growing mixed-use community that shares the plaza and neighbouring transportation hub. 

The museum establishes a strong connection to nature in its design. Wings of the single-storey structure reach out to the surrounding environment like extended arms of an embrace. Touching lightly on the land, the mass timber design reinforces this bond to its natural setting with expansive views to the woods and mountains beyond. The cultural landscape within is grounded in a context of experiencing art and the living world together.  

To facilitate this constant exchange, a free-flowing circulation provides points of connection, of pause and reflection between the program areas and the outdoors. The facility is designed to be flexible, redefining the traditional notion of an art gallery. Community rooms and a living room serve as attractors off the main entrance and blur the line between education and community use. This configuration further supports the museum’s role as a community resource and its ambition to create a warm and intimate home for art.

The university’s goal is to build a net zero facility. This building will not be reliant on, or produce, greenhouse gasses. It is designed to be a fully electric building with a high-performance envelope and is targeting LEED Gold. The cultural objective of the museum is to collect, provide a framework for, and put into context the rich artistic legacy acquired by the university. The appreciation and study of art will be advanced by presenting rotating displays from both permanent and touring exhibits. Additionally, SFU strives to make art a part of everyday life by fostering a welcoming and transparent environment.