Programing and Space Planning Institutional Programming Space Program

Programming & Space Planning

The Market Gallery provides a sampling of the city’s numerous institutions by curating a collection of public-facing exhibition spaces which existing cultural institutions occupy in order to promote themselves, create new art, or reach out to a new audience. Like a nineteenthcentury market, this museum provides an immersive, organizing armature into which numerous other parties plug-in to produce, display, and exhibit their work. Through the inclusion (or curation) of wellestablished, historic museums alongside smaller, alternative cultural institutions and, critically, their juxtaposition on equal footing, the Market Gallery challenges the hegemony of the endowed. The museum is inspired by its unique site characteristics. Located on a curious corner at the intersection of 34th Street, a major axis of tourist retail infrastructures, and Madison Avenue, an emerging design district supporting numerous new and established design showrooms, the museum responds to desires of tourists and New Yorkers alike through referencing the building’s unique history as a commercial department store.

Programming & Space Planning

Institutional Program

Rotating Shows with Member Museums The Market Gallery houses ten to twenty galleries of varying sizes, configurations, shapes, and characters which are activated on a rotating basis by member museums who occupy the space for a short period of time. The Museum encourages that these varied gallery spaces be active, ever-changing, and dynamic venues. Custom, site-specific installations are preferred over static works which visitors may have already seen. The Market Gallery may occasionally develop a general mission or theme to which member museums respond; regardless the museum demands a panoply of differing curatorial voices to coexist. The institution stipulates only that all exhibition programming be temporary in order to contribute to the ever-changing nature of the experience. Like a market, the Market Gallery is a casual, dynamic space of controlled cacophony, with the numerous voices of New York’s art institutions represented in diverse, interconnected spaces.

Partnership with Fashion or Design Houses To provide an welcoming, unintimidating, low-barrier of entry, there is no ticketed admission for visitors--they are welcomed to walk in and out casually. To fund the institution and help pay for the construction of the numerous everchanging installations put up by member museums, the Market Gallery facilitates partnerships. Member museums putting on a ten-week show may partner with a fashion house or design company, both industries well-represented at this, the intersection between a major retail strip and the spine of the city’s new design district, in order to cross-pollinate different cultural and artistic disciplines and to fund the show itself. For example, the Guggenheim’s Spring 2022 exhibition is an immersive installation in a 2,000sf space at the Market Gallery. Funding comes from the Guggenheim’s innovation fund, a small portion of its marketing budget for experimental work, as well as from Prada. Their two creative teams collaborate on the design of the exhibition which promotes both their institutions, as well as provides a platform for the young artists represented in the show.

Perpetual Opening With so many gallery spaces representing New York’s numerous cultural institutions hosting temporary exhibitions, the public spaces of the Market Gallery have the potential to be as active, dynamic, and crowded as any opening party. In fact, with at least one of the many rented gallery spaces “turning over” every week, each weekend hosts a rolling opening event party sure to generate energy. These events are busy, social functions where people mingle, eat, drink, and enjoy art. Other programming associated with each opening, such as artist talks, panel discussions, workshops, and lectures, add to the frenetic energy of the Market Gallery.

Institutional Program

Ever-Changing Lobby Design as Active Storefront. Another way to generate variety and to draw in visitors from the street is to use the entry lobby as another opportunity for ephemeral art. The space is highly visible from the street so eye-catching design which changes from year to year, like a design or fashion showroom window, would help draw people in.

Active Interior Street The main public circulation spine which links all of the public galleries is to act as a true extension of the streetscape. There is no front desk nor ticketing nor obtrusive security scans. A low barrier of entry is crucial in easing the boundary between the space of the street and that of the galleries. This space is scaled generously with small opportunities for seating placed in clusters throughout.

Pop-Up F&B Just as the Market Gallery welcomes numerous diverse voices in the curation of numerous simultaneous shows by different institutions, the food and drink venues also provide diversity and variety. While for efficiency, they share a common prep space, storage, and BOH kitchen, approximately three different pop-up restaurants, rotating seasonally, may occupy the dining area and act as a small, casual food hall for visitors of the museum. Casual, communal tables bring people together. Coffee as well as alcohol sales assure this space is active from the morning to the evening.

Institutional Program

Artist Studio Programs Another way member museums may represent themselves while supporting local, emerging talent is through sponsoring young art practices in a number of small studios in the mezzanine level of the Market Gallery. This is a year-long fellowship for New York based artists which concludes in an exhibition. Like in the Museum of Art and Design uptown, these spaces will occasionally be open to the public.

Event Pit A triple-height space which links spatially, visually, and experientially all public levels of the museum (the basement, level one, and the mezzanine) the Event Pit, which the lobby entry overlooks from level 1, is the heart of the institution. This space hosts the main events of the perpetual openings and is a dynamic, active space with access to the pop-up cafes, toilettes, and galleries. It’s naturally daylit from the storefront windows above. “Departure Desk” Rather than a front desk for ticketing, which will reduce the openness of the public interior street, the Museum’s circulation promenade concludes with a “departure desk,” which will direct visitors to the cultural institutions represented in the numerous shows in the galleries. It’s a way of nodding back to these institutions, making sure visitors are equipped with information which will increase the odds they’ll, for example, take the train uptown to the Jewish Museum after seeing its installation at the Market Museum.

Space Program

The Market Gallery is situated within approximately 91,000sf in an early twentieth-century department store. The space includes a 45,000sf basement with limited daylight, a 13,000sf first floor with storefront glazing on both Madison Avenue and 34th Street, a 13,000sf proposed mezzanine level, and a 20,000sf second level with generous glazing on its perimeter. The main entry is located near the main corner for maximum street-frontage and pedestrian visibility, and overlooks a grand, tripleheight space which links basement, first floor, and mezzanine levels.

Space Program

Galleries (5) 100 sqft (3) 250 sqft (5) 500 sqft (3) 1500 sqft, (3) 2,000 sqft As described above these are flexible and rotating exhibit spaces. Their varied sizes may also become double height to promote internal circulation furthering the stalls potential to promote it’s institution in ever-changing ways. As they are constantly in flux the fit out is originally white wall gallery space with minimal finishes.

Event Pit 3,500 sqft This is a triple height space flooded with glass acting as the main center of the space. As visitors move around the Market Galleries they always return to this space. As this is also the main rental space it is located near the pop F&B as well as the bar, restrooms, and flexible lounge spaces. Pop-Up Restaurant Counters & Kitchen 2,000 sqft These spaces have a shared back kitchen that feeds onto a counter service food option for visitors. It's proximity to the end of the visitors path and the departure desk is an effort to ensure our visitors get a full experience before relaxing and enjoying their meals should they choose to have them here.

Pop-Up Bar 750 sqft Located off the main event space this area is to serve coffee and refreshment during normal operating hours and switch to a full service bar for special events and openings.

Level 0 45,000 sqft

Space Program

Entry Vestibule & Lobby 1,500 sqft Large and easy to open doors leading into an open, glazed vestibule. No steps and minimal grade change to allow for easy flow from the street. The lobby is narrow to allow light to filter into the atrium space as well as provide visibility from the street to the museum inside. This leads directly to a curated lounge space also visible from the street. There is no check in space or lobby desk.

Interior Street (Main Public Circulation) This path starts at the lobby and circulates through the galleries and brings visitors to the grand circulation and elevators to continue their experience at the Market. It is structured, albeit meandering to promote the idea of a marketplace.

Vertical Circulation [Figural Stair(s) 500 sqft Adjacent to the main atrium this is how visitors will move from floor to floor. It also leads to the artists studio mezzanine and will be open to the public fully on specified times. We want this stair to express grandeur and really be the only permanent art piece in the museum.

Coat Check & Locker Area 300 sqft Located right off the lounge and lobby space this area is meant to be self-serve during normal operating hours and transition to a served counter for special events. Curated Lounge(s) (2) 1,500 sqft (2) 500 sqft These areas are scattered through the space to allow visitors moments of respite during their visit. As they are also rotating exhibits their accessibility off the main circulation is paramount to imply their inclusion in the concept of the museum.

“Departure Desk” 250 sqft This is located at the end of the internal street and is the main point of contact for visitors and administration. This is intentional as our main goal is for visitors to continue on to our partner institutions.

Level 1 13,000 sqft

Space Program

Artist Studios (5) 250 sqft (4) 500 sqft Located on the mezzanine level these spaces will receive direct light through large street facing windows. They also open onto the atrium which is an effort to ensure their inclusivity in the overall programming of the museum.

Artist Shop Space 750 sqft

Artist Storage Space 300 sqft

Level 1.5 13,000 sqft

Space Program

Fixed Office Space (Market Offices) 2,500 sqft (Market Meeting Rooms) 1,000 sqft This space is one of the only ones dedicated solely to our institution as the rest is shared among our partner institutions and artists. We want this space to be a respite for our administration teams as the inherent function of our institution is chaotic and constantly in flux.

Flex Office Space (Open Office) 2,500 sqft (3 Meeting Rooms) 1,500 sqft This space essentially functions as no defunct we work for our partner institutions. Think of it as a remote office location for curators, planners, and artists from our partner institutions.

Canteen & Lounge 3,500 sqft An collective canteen if you will, this space is a mixer for our admin and our partner institutions. We want this to be a casual break room and kitchen to foster strong relationships between teams.

Storage Space 1,000 sqft

Level 20 20,000 sqft