Center for British Art

The Yale Center for British Art (YCBA) is the last major work of famed architect Louis I. Kahn, and it serves as the main exhibition and storage space for Yale’s vast collection of art. The YCBA offers greater access to the most extensive collection of British art outside Great Britain.

As part of a comprehensive renovation project, the space for accessing prints, drawings, rare books, and manuscripts underwent a significant refurbishment—the first since the building opened in 1977. This included improved electrical distribution, rebalanced HVAC systems, refurbished interior finishes and furnishings, improved water management at exterior walls, added power outlets, altered office space layouts, and more.

The renovations integrated the original design aesthetic while addressing safety issues like fire suppression and necessary technology upgrades like additional ethernet connections and power outlets. These changes adapted the building’s design to modern safety regulations and technology while improving the visitor experience by incorporating technological advances.

Awards
2017 Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation Award
2017 Connecticut Building Congress Project Team Award
2016 AIA New England Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse Honor Award
2016 AIA National Award for Architecture