MoMA Design and Bookstores
New York City
Gluckman Mayner Architects

The Modern gets zoned retail

© Thomas Loof & Pernille Pedersen

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The retail spaces for the new Museum of Modern Art consist of the 6,400-square-foot Design and Book Store on 53rd Street, a 1,600-square-foot bookstore on the second floor of the museum, and an open retail area on the sixth floor adjacent to the temporary exhibition galleries. The architect conceived of the Design and Book Store as a series of zones, parallel with the sidewalk on 53rd Street. The extended curtain wall defines the depth of the space and terminates in a display wall for posters.

To create a transition between the outdoor space and the Design Store’s interior, one zone is defined by a set of high and low walls that enclose a narrow, book-lined space adjacent to the glass. At the center of the store, another zone is defined by four tall fixtures that act as spatial dividers and display household objects. Around the outer walls, a modular display system of recessed niches with adjustable shelving showcases a variety of merchandise.

Throughout the store, a palette of grey-green materials creates an integrated setting for the range of materials and colors that are part of the store’s merchandise. The architect derived this palette from the green terrazzo floor and custom-colored green rubber sheeting, as well as from the anodized aluminum and cement board wall cladding. The palette is complemented by the warm tone of reconstituted veneers applied in the woodwork and modular shelving.

On the museum’s second floor, overlooking the lobby between 53rd and 54th Streets, a small retail space sells books selected by curators from various departments. Custom-designed, steel plate furniture with a hand-applied brown-black finish lends the space a dignified appearance. Like the main museum store, this smaller retail area is anchored by a set of parallel bookcases. These monolithic fixtures are complemented by wall-mounted shelves, a service counter, and a 24-foot-long reading table, all fabricated from the same material.

Formal name of Project:
MoMA Design and Bookstores

Location:
New York City

Gross square footage:
12,150 sq. ft.

Owner:
Museum of Modern Art

Architect:
Gluckman Mayner Architects
250 Hudson Street
New York NY 10013
tel 212.929.0100
fax 212.929.0833
www.gluckmanmayner.com