The School of Architecture partnered with MADWORKSHOP and ArtCenter College of Design this semester to reimagine and animate the street level plaza and entrance of The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles’ downtown Grand Avenue location. Final design proposals, including drawings, models and renderings, were presented to MOCA Director Philippe Vergne on Dec. 13 at the museum’s auditorium. This class marked the first collaboration between students and faculty from these two esteemed design schools.

Under the guidance of USC professor Geoffrey von Oeyen, 12 fourth-year students from USC Architecture were selected to participate in this unique project. The students worked with 12 ArtCenter students, advised by ArtCenter faculty Chiara Ferrari and Jeff Higashi, to transform spaces such as the museum’s café, lobby lounge, courtyard and bookstore, and were required to submit a short video, a scale model of the new MOCA spaces, and schematic architectural and design drawings. Final studio presentations offered imaginative solutions to many of MOCA’s challenges, including wayfinding and equal accessibility for all patrons.