Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Renovation
There is some exciting news floating around Chicago as the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago announces plans for a $16 million renovation, and they’re going about it in a very interesting way. Though most art museums seeking big-budget expansions are looking to draw in larger audiences through drastic physical changes, MoCa has opted to remain true to its current public by rethinking and reconfiguring its public spaces without altering their downtown footprint.
Los Angeles architects Johnston Marklee, led by Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee will head the renovation with the core idea that bigger doesn’t always mean better. Their approach to the redesign is simply to find new ways to bring art, education and cuisine together for a cultural experience that reflects that of today’s popular preference to enjoy everything under one roof as one, all-inclusive experience. With this idea in mind, one of the planned highlights for the museum renovation is a new restaurant. Unlike the existing café, the restaurant will be accessible from the street and headed by chef Jason Hammel of Chicago’s Lulu Café. This accessibility, in particular, is a big deal for Chicagoans who have already seen the art exhibits but still want to support the museum by enjoying a nice meal. The restaurant will be a welcome addition to the surrounding neighborhood and its existing, exclusive dining options.
New Restaurant
The restaurant will also be an extension and reflection of the art inside the main building, as it plans to have Turner Prize-winning artist, Chris Ofili of Trinidad, create a major mural for all to aww at while they dine. In fact, Ofili will be in charge of designing much of the restaurant’s look and turning it into an art installation in and of itself. Everything from the surfaces to the patterning of the leather banquettes to the glass doors will be designed as works of art with the mural as the palette base.
Another interesting addition that will be designed during the renovations is a hybrid space. It will be a lounge-workshop-performance area, inside of the museum, called the Commons that will be designed by Mexico City design team, Pedro y Juana. The space will be decked out with custom furniture and feature plant-shaped lamps with real greenery hanging from the ceiling. This unique space will be free to the public and used as a place for audiences to come together for social interaction and to engage in civil and civic dialogue.
Chicago is definitely in for a treat as this redesign team assembles to bring their own unique cultural perspectives and incorporations as artists and designers from across the world together for one common goal of cultural enrichment. We look forward to seeing what the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago has in store for its 50th year, and we look forward to seeing all of you there!
The redesign is expected to be completed as early as June of 2017, just in time for the Takashi Murakami retrospective that marks the museum’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to call Chicago home? Contact me at (847) 226-8681 or via email at ebooth@ericboothrealty.com.
