The Bass Dialogues: Architects Johnston Marklee

The future of The Bass comes into focus as architects Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee unveil their design for the museum’s planned expansion during Miami Art Week. Presented Thursday, December 3, the conversation marks the first public presentation of Johnston Marklee’s vision for the Miami Beach institution. Poet and longtime Bass trustee Tom Healy moderates the discussion.

The project adds another chapter to a building shaped by several generations of architecture. Russell Pancoast designed the original structure in 1930, while Pritzker Prize-winning architect Arata Isozaki later reimagined the museum. Johnston Marklee, the Los Angeles-based firm selected to lead the next expansion, will discuss how its design responds to that architectural history while addressing the museum’s future needs.

Founded by Johnston and Lee in 1998, Johnston Marklee has completed cultural projects including the Menil Drawing Institute in Houston, a renovation of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and UCLA’s Margo Leavin Graduate Art Studios. The Miami Beach presentation will explore questions of preservation, transformation and how architecture can shape the next phase of a contemporary art museum.

Admission is complimentary with RSVP, with seating and standing room available on a first-come, first-served basis.