The design accommodated three key goals for the Museum of Modern Art while it was undergoing the renovation and expansion of its main building. First, the satellite facility had to provide a strong visual identity to maintain the museum’s profile while its main building was closed. Second, it had to accommodate blockbuster exhibits as a temporary museum for two years. And third, it had to support the museum’s preservation and research activities well into the future.

The adaptive reuse of the former staple factory relies on a permanent framework of spaces and systems that support the museum’s current activities. As these uses change in the future, a new plan can be implemented with only minor modifications. Change and movement are core ideas for the identity of the museum, as a series of abstract patterns on the roofscape transform into a legible reading of the logo for visitors arriving by elevated train.

The program includes all aspects of the museum’s mission with its library, archives, study centers, conservation labs, and digital imaging studios. Galleries reflect not only the museum’s collection, but also the original industrial uses of the building, offering curators a new setting for presentations not available at the main museum.