A rendering of the ICA Miami's new building in the city's Design District. Image by Aranguren & Gallegos Arquitectos, courtesy of ArchDaily

The Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami (ICA Miami) has revealed plans for a new permanent campus to be built on Northeast 41st Street in Miami’s design district. The proposal for the new museum, designed by Madrid-based firm Aranguren & Gallegos Arquitectos, aims for an opening in time for Art Basel 2016 and features 37,500 sq. ft. of floor space spread across three stories along with a 15,000 sq. ft. sculpture garden at the rear of the museum. While no official budgets have been released, the Miami Herald has reported that the new building will be funded primarily by billionaire philanthropists Norman and Irma Braman, and will be constructed on land donated by Miami Design District Associates, a local development organization.

Norman and Irma Braman, the benefactors of the new ICA Miami. Photo courtesy of Forbes

The ICA Miami came to fruition because of the split between the board of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and the city of North Miami. In a recent settlement, it was decided that North Miami would retain roughly seventy percent of the former museum’s art works, the MOCA name, as well as $1 million in grant money. The ICA, which is run by the former board of the MOCA and chaired by Irma Braman, will receive the remaining thirty percent of the MOCA’s collection—including works by John Baldessari, Ana Mendieta, and Tracey Emin.

Irma Braman also intends to donate to the museum from her extensive personal collection, saying in a statement, “We have always donated art and we expect to continue.” Of the task of amassing a new collection, Alex Gartenfeld, deputy director and chief curator of ICA Miami, said, “We are building an acquisitions committee and a strategic plan for our collection. We’ve had tremendous feedback from leading collectors in Miami and will be excited to announce those gifts shortly.”

The De La Cruz Collection, the design district neighbor of the soon to be completed ICA Miami. Image courtesy of The De La Cruz Collection

Of the location, Craig Robins, co-founder of the Miami Design District Associates and donor of the land on which the museum will be built, said, “Our strategy for the Design District is that we want it to be equally a place for culture as for commerce. By collaborating with the Bramans and the incredible board behind ICA, [we have] the perfect opportunity. My partners and I have embarked on a very aggressive campaign to install public art and graphic design implementations throughout the neighborhood. The ICA will be the crowning jewel.”

Rosa de la Cruz, owner of the nearby de la Cruz collection, was enthusiastic about the new museum enriching the cultural profile of the neighborhood, saying, “The ICA is a fantastic idea. Up to now [the museums] have been spread all over the place. This will be great in creating an art ambiance.” Dennis Scholl, vice president of local arts organization The Knight Foundation, echoed this excitement, saying, “I think it’s such a great addition to the community . . . It’s important for arts organizations, when possible, to be around each other. You have a lot of synergies from having a private collection and alternative space and a brand new art museum. The commitment by the Bramans to do this is such a gift to the community.”

Plans for the ICA Miami will be finalized in early 2015. Learn more about the ICA Miami, including project updates, as well as their events for Miami Art Week at their website - www.icamiami.org