A new modern home for Canada’s oldest continuously operating museum, the New Brunswick Museum (NBM), designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects in collaboration with Associate Architect EXP. When the museum’s research and exhibitions are finished, they will be housed in a single, environmentally friendly, decarbonized building that will enable it to completely fulfill its objective of conserving, examining, explaining, and showcasing the natural and cultural history of the Province of New Brunswick.
The new museum is approximately 12,450 square meters. With the addition of five additional wings to the north, Diamond Schmitt’s design greatly increases the museum’s footprint while integrating the historic Collections and Research Center on Douglas Avenue in Saint John, which was constructed in 1934 next to Riverview Memorial Park.
“Taking inspiration from the museum’s original site—one of the great vantage points in Saint John—our design embraces the rich history of New Brunswick’s heritage and natural landscape,” said Donald Schmitt, Principal at Diamond Schmitt. “This is a museum project for the past, present, and future of New Brunswick, prioritizing archives and conservation capabilities, major exhibition galleries, community and education spaces, and environmental sustainability through the use of mass timber and our goal of zero-carbon certification.”
“We are thrilled to unveil Diamond Schmitt’s remarkable design for our new home, which embraces the historic Douglas Avenue location while creating a beautiful and modern new facility” added Tracy Clinch, Chair of the Board of the New Brunswick Museum. “Following a thoughtful community engagement process across the province, the resulting design welcomes all New Brunswickers, national, and international visitors to engage with our history and with each other, while ensuring that our researchers and administrators have the top-of-the-line facilities and resources they need to innovate.”
New Brunswick Museum is considering of using mass lumber, a renewable resource that enables low-carbon construction and represents New Brunswick’s leading sustainable forestry industry, and shipbuilding legacy, with the exception of the heritage wing.
The new building’s interior stands out thanks to its stone tile, wood accents, and an abundance of natural light coming through its large windows and skylights. Along with using mass timber, Diamond Schmitt is working for zero-carbon certification and will decarbonize the building by installing air source heat pumps, insulation, triple-glazed windows, electric boilers, and other energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.
