The ongoing collaboration with the Museum of Illusions resulted in the design and construction supervision of one of the newest museums located in St. Louis, Missouri. The Museum space is part of the dismissed City Foundry, an industrial complex that represents the core and soul of this blue-collar American city. The conversion of the space, shifting from an industrial to a commercial estate was the main drive for inspiration from the very first site visit.
The location was chosen for its almost perfectly square-shaped floor plan, which allowed the testing of the new museum and retail strategy, previously developed by Brigada for the client. The result is a space presenting a non-linear visitor's journey. This creates an engaging experience for the visitor, providing the feeling of constant discovery throughout the exhibits and their illusions, ultimately extending the perception of the visit duration and giving the right perception of value for money.
Materials such as corrugated steel sheets, industrial lighting, and ventilation conduct have been used to embed local heritage in the museum's interiors. This move is part of a wider strategic approach aimed at achieving the right balance between maintaining the standardized design elements part of the corporate brand identity and infusing the space with site-specific elements and details. This museum was designed to include a new core feature of the Museum of Illusions locations; the Dark Area. This space results from the differentiation between a regular museum setup and a darker area setup.
While the first focuses on showcasing illusions in a normally lit environment, the latter hosts exhibits that by nature are best to be shown in darkness. This shift in the way the illusions are displayed increases the level of engagement with the visitor, ultimately affecting their level of engagement and satisfaction. Moreover, the transition between bright and dark areas of the museum drastically contributes to the visitor's experience quality, adding variety, fun, and surprise through carefully staged moments that provide the right level of illusion-based drama.
