Woodmere Art Museum

In 2021 the Woodmere Art Museum purchased a neighboring historic mansion and envisioned a transformative renovation led by Matthew Baird Architects that would provide galleries for its public collection and a café as a visitor amenity.

Located in the Wissahickon watershed, the site falls under strict development requirements for soil disturbance and stormwater management. The building is surrounded by an open area containing steep slopes and a variety of heritage trees. Because it is necessary for a small amount of the slopes to be disturbed to accommodate the building addition, Meliora provided services to obtain a zoning variance while maintaining the integrity of the site.

Other tasks within our scope include analyses, design, permitting, and recommendations for managing stormwater with a rain garden and stone infiltration bed. A portion of the area will be developed with porous parking spaces and walkways while maintaining and restoring the remaining open areas.

The final design will restore native meadows to the open areas and provide a retreat for visitors to explore and enjoy the restored natural landscape outdoors in addition to the art indoors.

Check out Woodmere’s project website for more information.