Ruby City

Ruby City is a new addition to the growing contemporary art campus of the Linda Pace Foundation. The 14,000sf two-story building provides a home for a growing collection of contemporary art and includes gallery space, offices, and administration. The building evokes its namesake through its jagged, gem-like form and sparkling red concrete exterior. Its asymmetric massing lifts off the ground and penetrates through the roof. The building features a cave-like cantilevered entrance with a grand staircase that leads visitors up into the galleries. The exhibition spaces are lit by large, volumetric skylights that contribute to the monolithic, faceted architecture. Drilled concrete piers support the structure, along with an intricate system of steel columns, beams, and braces that negotiate eccentric geometries and dramatic cantilevers. The steel structure is carefully coordinated with the custom precast concrete façade panels which are tinted red with glass aggregate.