The new 54,000-square-foot John Michael Kohler Arts Center Art Preserve will allow the public to view remarkable exhibition-style art collections all year round. Located on a 38-acre green space overlooking the Sheboygan River, the Art Preserve is a masterpiece all on its own. The exterior design of the three-level building respects the nature that surrounds it, with an irregular footprint that allows it to climb the sloping side of the hill, making use of more upward space than land coverage.
Renowned for our industry expertise and capabilities to handle large projects, Staff Electric was selected as their electrical and technology installer. Providing state-of-the-art lighting, lighting control, fire alarm, data, cameras and generator for back-up power. The climate-controlled building truly is a marvel, with bluetooth-enabled lighting so preserve employees can adjust the brightness and colors of the lights with just an iPhone or iPad.
The architectural design includes displaying raw construction materials as finished products. With its concrete walls, the building posed its fair share of challenges.A lot of our work had to be cast into concrete walls and ceilings, and because nothing could be surface mounted, we installed 25,000 feet of raceways into those walls and ceilings.
Being a museum, the building called for many unique light fixtures, some of which have extended lead times and have to be procured from overseas. We faced time constraints too, having to install 5,000 feet of track lighting into the ceiling set us back a bit. When initial building designs changed, we were able to pivot and upgrade the light packaging to accommodate more rooms. Despite these challenges, we have so far been able to meet our goals through effective communication and collaboration with the architect, Mortenson Construction, and other team members. Lead Project Manager, Mike Hebring from Mortenson Construction credits Staff Electric as a reliable partner and says he was happy to award us the work.
Working on the John Michael Kohler Art Preserve has been a rewarding experience already. When it opens for visitors, we’re confident that people will truly appreciate everything we’ve done. Once again, Staff Electric proves that with the right people, we can do virtually any project.
Stay posted for an update on our progress!
