KIMBALL ART CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS SELECTS HERZOG & DE MEURON AS DESIGN ARCHITECT FOR THE KIMBALL ART CENTER IN PARK CITY, UT
November 5, 2026
The Kimball Art Center Board of Directors has unanimously selected internationally acclaimed architecture practice Herzog & de Meuron as the Design Architect of its future home in Kimball Junction, marking a significant milestone in the organization’s vision for a new cultural destination serving Park City, Summit County, and the broader region.
The future facility will expand opportunities for creative exploration, learning, and connection while establishing a lasting cultural resource for the region. The partnership brings one of the world’s most influential architectural practices to Park City at a pivotal moment in the Kimball Art Center’s evolution and its role in the community.
“At this moment, we are celebrating 50 years of service fostering creativity in the Park City area. It’s exciting to take this next step as we make this significant commitment to the artists and art lovers in our community,” says Executive Director Aldy Milliken.
Founded in 1976, Kimball Art Center has grown from its beginnings in a renovated garage on Main Street to its current home in Bonanza Park. Its next chapter will be the organization’s first building purpose-designed to support its full range of exhibitions, educational programs, and community engagement initiatives.
Choosing a partner with a shared vision
Founded in Basel, Switzerland in 1978, Herzog & de Meuron’s selection brings an internationally recognized architectural practice to Park City. Its projects include London’s Tate Modern, the Pérez Art Museum in Miami, and Calder Gardens in Philadelphia.
As Herzog & de Meuron describes its philosophy, “Independent of the nature or size of a project, we seek to foster the public life it could and should generate. All architecture is public, and all architecture is political, because it is relevant to life in a community.” This commitment to the public life of architecture closely aligns with Kimball Art Center’s mission to inspire, educate, and connect through art.
Together, the partnership presents an opportunity to bring a new level of architectural ambition to the Wasatch Back while creating a welcoming, accessible cultural resource rooted in a mission that directly relates back to the Park City community and its visitors.
Simon Demeuse, Partner at Herzog & de Meuron, had this to say about the project: “On our first visit to the future site of the Kimball Art Center, we were struck by the extraordinary quality of light, the expansive views, and the potential for a new building to be visible from afar yet firmly rooted in its setting. These qualities, together with the Center’s ambition to dissolve the boundaries between artist workshops, makerspaces, and exhibition galleries, offer a unique opportunity to create a significant cultural destination for the Park City community and visitors from further afield.”
The selection process
The architect selection process began in early 2026, with more than 50 national and international firms considered by the Board of Directors. On June 1, 13 firms were invited to respond to a formal request for proposals. The Board’s Facilities Committee led a deliberate evaluation process grounded in Kimball Art Center’s building mission. Alongside the Executive Director, committee members visited peer museums and arts institutions across the country, meeting with institutional leaders and studying how architecture can support exhibitions, education, accessibility, and community connection.
Following this research, six firms advanced for further consideration. Three finalists–Snøhetta, Herzog & de Meuron, and Michael Maltzan–were invited to Park City for in-person interviews with the Facilities Committee and public presentations at the Park City High School on September 16.
The Board’s unanimous selection of Herzog & de Meuron followed this extensive process and reflects the firm’s ability to engage with Kimball Art Center’s ambitions for a new kind of cultural gathering place.
“This process transformed how our Board sees our organizational potential,” said Adam Himoff, Chair of the Kimball Art Center Board of Directors. “We didn’t just choose an architect. We found a partner who shares our vision. We are proud to begin this next chapter with Herzog & de Meuron.”
The Board will continue to engage with peer institutions, exhibitions, and studios through its Facilities Committee as the project moves forward, drawing on those experiences to inform the design and ensure the future building remains grounded in the needs of its community.
Plans for the future
For Kimball Art Center, the new building is an opportunity to rethink how an arts institution serves its community by offering a place to make, experience, and connect through art. The vision extends beyond a traditional museum model, bringing exhibitions, educational programs, creative exploration, and community gathering together under one roof.
“We asked the architects to respond to a question we care deeply about: What does an art museum need to be for its community in an evolving world? What is the architecture for museums of the future?” said Milliken. “Herzog & de Meuron listened closely to who
we are. They saw our exhibitions and classrooms as one living institution, and they understood that this building should be Summit County’s creative living room–a place that belongs to everyone who lives here and everyone who visits.”
The selection of Herzog & de Meuron begins the next phase of planning for Kimball Art Center’s future home. The project team is expected to add a local architect of record, landscape architect, and construction manager in the coming months.
The firm’s Austin team will work closely with Kimball Art Center leadership and community
stakeholders throughout the process. Pre-design is anticipated to begin this winter, followed by schematic design in 2027.
“For fifty years, the Kimball Art Center has proven that cultural vibrancy is just as essential to our mountain home as our iconic landscape,” said Himoff. “We embarked on this deliberate search knowing that our exhibition and education programs deserve a permanent home of equal ambition. Herzog & de Meuron are not only visionary architects, but deeply empathetic collaborators, and partnering with them to design an environment where art and community meet is truly a dream come true.”
About Herzog & de Meuron
Herzog & de Meuron is an international architectural practice based in Basel, Switzerland. Established in 1978, the practice is led by the two Founders together with the Partners, one of whom holds the role of CEO. Today, an international team of over 500 collaborators is engaged in a wide range of projects across Europe, the Americas and Asia. The main office in Basel works in tandem with studios in Berlin and Munich, Paris, London, Barcelona, Hong Kong, New York, Austin and San Francisco.
About Kimball Art Center
Kimball Art Center (KAC) provides international-quality art exhibitions and dynamic educational opportunities for the citizens of Park City, Summit County, Wasatch County, and the region’s many visitors. KAC introduces audiences to the artistic process and the many layers of creativity through its exhibitions, classes, and events. The center embodies the belief that art is a catalyst for growth, encouraging reflection, sparking new ideas, and deepening human connection. Founded in 1976, Kimball Art Center is one of the region’s oldest creative nonprofit organizations and a cornerstone of Park City’s arts and cultural community.
