outside view of the kansas city art institute

Paul and Linda DeBruce Hall

Project Case Study
The Kansas City Art Institute’s (KCAI) Paul and Linda DeBruce Hall redefines the student experience. The flexible, collaborative space centralizes multiple student services and operations, which had been scattered across campus and serves as the new home for Art History, Creative Writing, Entrepreneurial Studies and Liberal Arts departments.

Client

Kansas City Art Institute

Processes

Safety
Collaborative Delivery
Preconstruction

City

Kansas City, MO

exterior of the paul and linda debruce hall

The two-story building integrates into the neighborhood at 44th and Oak using brick and stone as influential materials in the exterior design.

 The Hall’s main entry serves as a tribute to art historians and features the names of prominent figures laser cut into panels made by KCAI students. The interior centers around a public atrium with a grand staircase that connects KCAI’s various activities and user groups.

natural light at the kansas city art institiute
overlooking the lobby of the kansas city art institute

Classrooms and administrative operations are placed around the building’s interior perimeter to connect students and staff to the outdoors. The courtyard garden serves as a space for relaxation and inspiration.

kansas city art institute classroom
lobby of the kansas city art institute

Nestled next to a historic residential area, required special-use permits and close coordination with the neighborhood. In preconstruction, the team discovered a balance of accommodating aesthetics for neighboring homes while maintaining the budget. We worked through several different design iterations of façade, skin, and atrium options to develop a solution that exceeded KCAI’s goals.

blue room at the kansas city art institute
inside linda and debruce hall construction by mccowngordon
natural wood window detail at the kansas city art institute
art displayed at the kansas cty art institute construction by mccowngordon
modern office at the kansas city art institute
blue room at the kansas city art institute
kitchen area at the kansas city art institute
lobby of the kansas city art institute construction by mccowngordon
classroom at the kansas city art institute
classroom with big windows at the kansas city art institute
kansas city art institute paul and linda debruce hall
exterior of paul and linda debruce hall
Kansas city art institute front entrance