The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art wanted to redesign its lobby to allow staff to more graciously greet patrons upon entry; their existing condition created confusion due to the location being in the rear of the space. They also wanted a small gift shop to increase revenue, but the staff that greeted patrons also needed to control the retail space. It was a tricky challenge, and due to the fact that UMOCA is a NPO, we needed to do the project on a budget of $45,000 USD. WOW atelier is comprised of architects, interior designers, and fabricators; because of this, we were able to do everything from beginning to end to meet their desire to have a well-designed quality space and meet their budget.
Our design was based on bringing the existing 30/60/90 triangular exterior architectural elements into the reception area. The triangles drove the forms from the reception desk to the display tables, to the parametric shelving itself. The overall design created a cohesive experience and has been a smashing success. The museum loves the space, sales have increased, and patrons are no longer complaining about the unclear entry experience.
