\u00a0<\/p>\n
designboom attended a preview ahead of the public opening on September 27th, 2025, where lead architects Miriam Peterson and Nathan Rich spoke about the design process and goals for the project.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018We got a wonderful brief from MoMA,\u2019 says Nathan Rich<\/strong>. \u2018The first goal was to create a meaningful dialogue between the Design Store and this historic building. The second was to connect with the public, literally bringing the street in. And the third was to showcase the products themselves in special ways.\u2018<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n historic details revealed<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The MoMA Design Store renovation emphasizes the building\u2019s authentic details, exposing cast iron columns, brickwork, and even portions of the original tin ceiling. Layers of later alterations were stripped back to allow the historic textures to read clearly against new interventions.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018What we love about working in older buildings is peeling back the layers,\u2019 explains Miriam Peterson.<\/strong> \u2018The ceiling had been dropped, columns were covered, and the facade was blocked off. One of the first things we did was reveal the brick and arches and look at archival drawings to relocate the entrance to its original center position.\u2019<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The facade, once painted a muddy brown color called Afternoon Tea, has been restored to black with approval from the Landmarks Commission. \u2018That subtle change reframed the interior from the street,\u2019 Peterson adds.<\/strong> \u2018It creates a stronger frame through which to view the store, while resonating with the masonry context of the neighborhood.\u2018<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n a contemporary framework<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Inside the MoMA Design Store, the 6,600-square-foot space is organized through a system of flexible casework and display structures. Perforated steel shelving finished in MoMA\u2019s signature blue, vitrines, and movable islands establish rhythm and variety, while casters allow the lower level to be cleared for talks and gatherings. A new perimeter shelving system by Rareraw<\/strong><\/a>, a Korean family business making its U.S. debut, integrates lighting into a versatile framework.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The architects emphasized adaptability and narrative potential. Nathan Rich describes the approach: \u2018Everything here was made by brilliant creators. The store itself should help tell those stories \u2014 signage, displays, and layout all work to feature the products in meaningful ways.\u2018<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n connecting store, street, and museum<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The reopened windows and re-centered entry reinforce the link between the store and the streetscape, creating transparency and drawing the public in. This connection extends to the north wall, now home to a rotating Modern Mural program. The opening installation, LOVE NYC by Nina Chanel Abney<\/strong><\/a>, echoes Soho\u2019s urban fabric while referencing MoMA\u2019s collection, turning the wall into both an interior focal point and a street-facing canvas.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018The mural announces from the moment you walk in that this is MoMA,\u2019 Peterson says.<\/strong> \u2018It frames the threshold between street and store, reinforcing the connection between the Design Store and the museum.\u2019<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The renovation balances a reverence for the building\u2019s industrial heritage with the precision required of a retail environment. Exposed tin ceilings and rough masonry contrast with crisp steel shelving and controlled lighting. Peterson notes:<\/strong> \u2018We embraced the messiness of the old building and saw it as part of the palette that directly engages with the new products.\u2018<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The news comes shortly after the opening of MoMA\u2019s bookstore in Seoul<\/strong><\/a>. Residents and visitors in the Korean city will find the new space in the Dosan Park area of Gangnam, the fast-growing and now-iconic neighborhood south of the Han River. See designboom\u2019s coverage here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n project info:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n name:\u00a0<\/strong>MoMA Design Store<\/a> | @momadesignstore<\/a><\/p>\n renovation architect:\u00a0<\/strong>Peterson Rich Office<\/a> | @peterson_rich_office<\/a><\/p>\n location:\u00a0<\/strong>81 Spring Street, New York, NY<\/p>\n client:\u00a0<\/strong>Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)<\/a> | @themuseumofmodernart<\/a><\/p>\n mural artist:\u00a0<\/strong>Nina Chanel Abney<\/a> | @ninachanel<\/a><\/p>\n completion:\u00a0<\/strong>September 27th, 2025<\/p>\n photography:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a9 Eric Petschek<\/a> | @cb<\/a><\/p>\n![\"MoMA](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MoMA-design-store-renovation-peterson-rich-office-soho-new-york-designboom-01.jpg\")
windows reopened to Spring Street create a stronger dialogue with Soho | images \u00a9 Eric Petschek<\/a><\/p>\n![\"MoMA](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MoMA-design-store-renovation-peterson-rich-office-soho-new-york-designboom-02.jpg\")
perforated steel shelving in MoMA\u2019s signature blue brings a flexible backdrop for products<\/p>\n![\"MoMA](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MoMA-design-store-renovation-peterson-rich-office-soho-new-york-designboom-03.jpg\")
historic cast iron and masonry details are revealed throughout the space<\/p>\n![\"MoMA](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MoMA-design-store-renovation-peterson-rich-office-soho-new-york-designboom-04.jpg\")
the north wall features Nina Chanel Abney\u2019s Love NYC mural<\/p>\n