The Big Picture: Art + Architecture
Good design creates an atmosphere, evokes a feeling, provokes a reaction. Weaving art into projects can have a big impact on how a space feels, and how it functions.
At home, the design process is natural – a slow accrual of objects and art that reflect the people who live there. But in a public space it’s often trickier. Creating or selecting art for a restaurant, office, or apartment building requires knowing something about the people who will use the space, knowing how people move through the space and then figuring out a place where art will be seen and be effective.
At Ella Apartments on East Washington, a four-story mural by artist Bill Rebholz connects the site’s history with what’s to come. Ella’s Deli closed in early 2018, but for more than 40 years it was famous for its over the top decor and furnishings. The owners had created and collected colorful toys and gadgets that were in constant motion throughout the restaurant. Its most iconic feature was a carousel that faced East Washington Avenue.
When planning a new building for this familiar site, the developer wanted to incorporate a new visual landmark that wouldn’t necessarily replace the old landmark, but could still conjure memories of the carousel. The building was designed to frame a large wall area that would become a colorful mural that includes references to the original Ella’s as well as other aspects of the neighborhood, warmly welcoming its new residents and the people who pass by every day.
Restaurants need to let customers know what to expect, to set the mood and create an atmosphere. At Jacknife, a fast casual sushi restaurant, street graffiti-inspired art and bold accent colors come together in a lighthearted dining room infused with energy. Doodles and other playful accents help reinforce the overall vibe and everything works together to complement the restaurant’s signature sushi roll menu.
At Jacknife’s sister restaurant, the higher end RED Sushi, art is interspersed throughout the space in a similar way. The most prominent piece is a large fish-shaped wall that divides the dining room from the bar. Fabricated from metal bars to create a skeletal framework, and then partially filled in with a bright red material, the wall integrates the function of architecture within a more explicitly artistic form. The backdrop of the sushi bar features a more traditional mural approach to create a strong focal point for the dining room.
Hiebing Inc., a creative agency in downtown Madison, occupies what was once a Christian Science Church. To create an engaging and functional workspace in the volume of an old church provides unusual opportunities. The previous layout of the main floor pushed a number of private offices under the existing mezzanines, effectively blocking sight lines from one end of the space to the other, while also limiting the number of employees. All of the smaller offices were removed in the redesign, and the floor space opened back up again to allow light and air to reach everywhere.
New custom desks were designed for the space and layed out to mimic the rows of pews that once occupied the hall. Smaller gathering spaces were incorporated into the corners for meetings and private phone calls. The other big change was to transform the old organ loft - located at the focal point of the room above the reception desk into small private work cubbies with glass walls - giving the occupants a grand view over the whole office while still being part of the activity. One mezzanine was left untouched to help control the scope of the project, while the other was transformed into a communal kitchen and gathering area for the entire company.
Art as an objective right from the start isn’t always as clear as it was for Ella’s, but we always keep an eye out for the opportunity to integrate paintings, murals, or mosaics into the final design. The project and our clients help inform how big or small those opportunities can be. In some cases the entire side of a building, and in other cases it might just be creating murals in the bathroom from standard square tile. But in every case, art with architecture helps make those projects personal, not just to the clients and us, but to everyone who experiences them.