After 30 years in St. Louis, Mis., the Museum of the Dog returned to Manhattan with a modern flair, along with a revamped headquarters for the American Kennel Club (AKC).
Working with architecture firm Gensler, the 1,393 m2 (15,000 sf) design features a 5.4-m (18-ft)-high ceiling, terrazzo floors, a vast mezzanine, retail store, and 180 canine-related works of art—including a 2,000-year-old paw print.
The design team eliminated a few risers from the stairs and added multilevel landings to adjust for the limited space. Once installed, the staircase became one of the most eye-catching aspects of the ground floor with its terrazzo treads and glass railings.
With one wall already occupied by the building’s glass facade, display space was extremely limited. To create additional space for the artwork, the team installed seven steel-framed partitions that resemble large-scale easels and rotate a full 360-degrees.
Before entering through the door of the museum, guests are greeted with digital silhouettes of dogs, which appear to be parading down Park Avenue alongside the crowds.
The idea behind relocating AKC’s headquarters to the same location was to further expand its art collection visible to visitors.
