pleated wall

employee lounge renovation at the museum of contemporary art of puerto rico

Type: Institutional

Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Year: 2024

Status: Built

Partners-in-charge: Silvana Herrera & Armando Rigau

Design Team: Edényaliz David

Collaborators: Cristina Costas/ Viejo Construction

Description: The targeted renovation at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico reimagines the employee lounge as a flexible, multi-functional area for lunch breaks, meetings, workshops, lectures, and informal gatherings. The primary architectural gesture – a white pleated wall – restructures the space to enhance adaptability.

On approach, a traditional doorway frames a branding opportunity that subtly integrates the museum’s initials. Inside, the freestanding partition balances privacy and openness, creating a dynamic spatial experience. Though seemingly arbitrary, the wall’s shape provides structural support while adhering to ADA requirements. A system of foldable doors enables varying levels of openness to support different event configurations.

The furniture selection follows the same principle of flexibility, with stackable chairs and foldable tables for easy storage and reconfiguration. The redesign also introduces new employee lockers and a modern kitchenette, finished in colors that complement the original cement tile flooring. 

Despite a strictly tight budget, this small intervention builds upon the more recent transformation by architect Otto Reyes to further the dialogue between the museum’s contemporary and neoclassical architectures.