The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

With Weiss/Manfredi recently selected to design the next expansion of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, it’s a perfect time to look back on the projects that laid the foundation for this moment. Among them, two major undertakings stand out: the Automated Logic retrofit project and the Bloch Building expansion. These projects not only modernized operations but also helped establish a trusted partnership between the museum and Control Service Company (CSC).

In 2003, CSC’s Automated Logic retrofit earned the prestigious Automated Logic Project of the Year award. Just four years later, the museum’s Bloch Building opened to national and international acclaim. This expansion project highlighted CSC’s ability to balance technical complexity with the delicate needs of a world-class cultural institution.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum houses over 33,500 pieces of art, spanning centuries and cultures. Preserving such an expansive collection demands precise environmental control, but the museum’s previous building systems lacked the consistency and support required to meet that goal.

At the same time, plans for the Bloch Building were already underway. Museum leadership realized that continuing with an outdated system would compromise both current operations and the upcoming expansion.

To change direction, the museum brought in a new director of operations who quickly reviewed the proposed infrastructure. He recognized that the current control system couldn’t support the museum’s long-term vision.

Rather than proceed with the original vendor, he reached out to Control Service Company. CSC’s strong reputation for reliability, technical skill, and competitive pricing made them a natural choice. Our bid arrived hundreds of thousands of dollars lower and promised scalable, future-ready results.

Soon after, the museum issued a cease-and-desist to its original controls provider, allowing CSC to step in and assess the remaining work.

CSC’s project team met with contractors, engineers, and museum staff to develop a strategic plan. The goal was clear: complete the central plant upgrade, recover what systems could still be used, and implement an efficient, unified platform to serve both the existing building and the new one.

CSC carefully examined each part of the infrastructure. We identified legacy equipment worth retaining and eliminated the rest. The Automated Logic platform was chosen for its adaptability and long-term maintainability.

One of CSC’s principals remained involved throughout, collaborating closely with contractors and stakeholders. His role helped ensure seamless coordination across lighting, HVAC, shade mechanisms, and even site utilities like stormwater systems.

No detail was overlooked. Every control mechanism—from air handling units to exhibit case lighting—was considered part of a larger environmental picture.

Construction began on the upgraded central plant in early 2002. By spring 2003, CSC had completed the full controls retrofit on schedule.

As work on the Bloch Building progressed, CSC remained an integral part of the project team. When the new wing opened in June 2007, it marked the successful culmination of years of careful planning, integration, and collaboration.

The Bloch Building’s grand opening received glowing reviews from art critics, museum professionals, and media outlets across the globe. But behind the scenes, the real achievement was the building’s performance—especially when it came to environmental control.

Given the museum’s renowned Asian art collection, CSC gave particular attention to the Chinese scrolls gallery. This exhibit required exceptional humidity control to preserve fragile materials.

CSC created a custom air handling and control sequence designed specifically for that space. Humidity levels remained within 0.5% of the setpoint, and temperatures were equally stable. The results far exceeded typical museum standards.

The same level of attention was applied throughout the Bloch Building and retroactively extended to the original museum. CSC fine-tuned every space to meet strict environmental benchmarks.

Watch our Case Study Video on our projects at The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. Several of our managers at CSC and our partners at The Nelson speak about our products as well as how we adapted our systems to the needs of the Museum.