The City of De Pere, Wis., began in the 17th century as a fishing village with a monastery, grew to be an incorporated city by the 1860s and has a National Register of Historic Places historic district with dozens of homes in a variety of styles that were built from the early 19th to early 20th centuries.
That architectural legacy is only part of what makes the small city attractive to some. Now, thanks to the generosity of James and Miriam Mulva, who have in recent years donated tens of millions of dollars to various groups, a new artistic focal point will draw new visitors, and enliven the historic town.
The wife and husband philanthropists recently announced designs for the Mulva Cultural Center, which will be in De Pere. The building will have an exterior made of transparent glass and will be a setting of arts activities and a focal point of the city’s arts community.
See Also: Puerto Rican mixed-use, mixed income housing development begins construction
Designed by the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill architecture firm (SOM), the center will be situated along the Fox River.
“The hiring of SOM as the architect for the Mulva Cultural Center shows just how significant this project is for the City of De Pere and the people of Northeast Wisconsin. It underscores our family’s longstanding commitment to enhancing the community my wife Miriam and I have known and loved since our childhood,” says Jim Mulva. “We are honored and thrilled to partner with SOM on what is a grand plan for bringing this addition to the heart of historic downtown De Pere as part of the city’s new Cultural District Master Plan.”
The 60,000-square-foot center will host traveling art exhibitions, provide cultural programming and educational programming, and host other activities. The plans for the center follow a long-term strategy for the future of the city, which is in the Greater Green Bay Area.
“As a city, we have always been incredibly proud of our rich history and traditions while also endlessly striving to build a vibrant and forward-thinking future,” says De Pere Mayor Mike Walsh. “The Mulva Cultural Center embodies that spirit. We look forward to this world-class addition, and we are grateful for this significant opportunity to enrich and grow our community.”
The Mulva Cultural Center will have an open-air atrium spanning the building’s three stories., and a large auditorium. The center also will have flexible permanent and temporary exhibition spaces, event space, classrooms, a café, and an outdoor terrace.
Related Stories
| Oct 10, 2014
A new memorial by Zaha Hadid in Cambodia departs from the expected
The project sees a departure from Hadid’s well-known use of concrete, fiberglass, and resin. Instead, the primary material will be timber, curved and symmetrical like the Angkor Wat and other Cambodian landmarks.
| Oct 8, 2014
First look: Woods Bagot unveils plans for new Christchurch Convention Center
The locally-inspired building is meant to serve as a symbol of the city's recovery from the earthquake of 2011.
| Oct 6, 2014
Frank Gehry's $100 million Eisenhower Memorial gets preliminary approval
After a rejection earlier in the year, Frank Gehry has gotten some good news: his revised design for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial has received approval from the National Capital Planning Commission.
| Oct 2, 2014
Budget busters: Report details 24 of the world's most obscenely over-budget construction projects
Montreal's Olympic Stadium and the Sydney Opera House are among the landmark projects to bust their budgets, according to a new interactive graph by Podio.
| Oct 1, 2014
10 iconic modern buildings first to receive 'Keeping it Modern' conservation grants from the Getty Foundation
Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House and Jørn Utzon’s Sydney Opera House are among the buildings to receive grants.
| Sep 29, 2014
Snøhetta releases final plan for terraced central library in Calgary
The competition-winning New Central Library is now in the final design stages, after two years of community engagement on the part of design firms Snøhetta and DIALOG.
| Sep 25, 2014
Jean Nouvel unveils plans for National Art Museum of China
Of the design, Nouvel describes it as inspired by the simplicity of “a single brush stroke.”
| Sep 24, 2014
Architecture billings see continued strength, led by institutional sector
On the heels of recording its strongest pace of growth since 2007, there continues to be an increasing level of demand for design services signaled in the latest Architecture Billings Index.
| Sep 24, 2014
Frank Gehry's first building in Latin America will host grand opening on Oct. 2
Gehry's design for the Biomuseo, or Museum of Biodiversity, draws inspiration from the site's natural and cultural surroundings, including local Panamaian tin roofs.
| Sep 23, 2014
Third phase of New York’s High Line redevelopment opens
The $35 million Phase 3, known as High Line at the Rail Yards, broke ground September 20, 2012, and officially opened to the public on September 21.
