From the street, a dense, textured interior is visible through the Center for Architecture’s storefront window, offering a glimpse into a space that feels markedly different from the neutral gallery beyond. Shifting color and geometry hint at an environment that is immersive, enclosed, and deliberately inward-looking.

Archtober Lounge was conceived as a cave-like interior carved into the Center for Architecture—an inhabitable volume that contrasts the openness of the existing space. Rather than reading as a temporary insertion, the lounge establishes a sense of retreat, enveloping visitors as they step inside and creating a concentrated interior condition within the institution.

The lounge is formed from a cell-like cardboard structure that wraps the space in a continuous, porous surface. Depth is produced through repetition and aggregation rather than mass, allowing the interior to feel both lightweight and thick. Panels clad in colors drawn from the Archtober visual identity—developed in collaboration with Pentagram—transform branding into an atmospheric condition rather than applied graphics.

An anamorphic projection of the Archtober logo spans the irregular geometry, fragmenting and reassembling as viewpoints shift. From within, the graphic dissolves into color and texture; from a precise alignment along the sidewalk, it briefly resolves into legibility, allowing the installation to function as both immersive interior and street-facing signal.

As visitors move through the space, perception oscillates between enclosure and openness. Event information is embedded within the environment, encouraging lingering, conversation, and orientation. By collapsing branding, information, and structure into a single spatial gesture, Archtober Lounge creates an interior world that is visible from the street yet fully immersive once entered.

Collaborators: Pentagram