Anima at Art Omi Pavilions

Anima at Art Omi Pavilions is a new gallery structure designed by SO – IL as part of a broader initiative to integrate architecture and art within the Hudson Valley landscape. The pavilion comprises five interconnected gallery spaces, each designed with distinct dimensions and lighting conditions, including skylights and windows, to support varying art displays. The exterior features a dark gray cladding, allowing the structure to blend with its surroundings, while the interior layout encourages quiet, focused engagement with individual works of art.

The pavilion’s defining feature is its 5,200-sqft roof structure, composed of stacked timber blocks forming a semi-porous lattice. This roof varies in height from 7 to 35 feet, creating a conical form that appears to shift depending on the viewing angle. The structure relies on curved timber members supported by a compression ring. Durable materials, including treated timber and hot-dipped galvanized or coated steel, will be used to ensure resistance to weathering.

The roof will cast diffused shadows across the galleries, contributing to the pavilion's visual and structural integration with the environment. Anima will serve as a durable, functional space for displaying art while highlighting sustainable construction methods.

"The Mini Pavilions will offer visitors a unique, durational viewing experience that cultivates privacy and intimacy with a singular work of art. We aim to counter the false urgency of our culture by encouraging viewers to pause and sit with a piece, creating meaningful encounters with a work of art that allows its properties to be revealed and studied beyond a glance, drive-by, or a crowded view."

Francis Greenburger & Natalie Diaz | Co-Executive Directors, Art Omi Pavilions