by B.J. Novitski

There's no longer any question that large architectural projects call for sophisticated computer-aided design systems for their execution. But sometimes very small projects do too.

As recently demonstrated in the new San Francisco Museum of Modern Art store at the San Francisco International Airport, a top-of-the-line design system can work very well to control the design quality — and cost — of a small architectural gem.

The architecture firm McCall Design Groupworked with ARRIS software from Sigma Design to produce design development drawings for the store. Their renderings were instrumental in the museum's design approval process.

Based on schematic designs by retail designers Julie Brown and Margo Criscitiello of Re:Design, the architects of record, including project designers Tim Donahue and Ann Kim, also created construction documents within the same system.

Because the architects and engineers were all working pro bono for the nonprofit museum and trying to minimize material costs, they did everything they could to maximize their own design efficiency without compromising a sense of elegance within the space.

The 2200-square-foot (200-square-meter) store, which sells objects related to art and architecture, is intended to remind visitors of the forms and materials used in the Mario Botta-designed San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA).

A new store in the San Francisco airport was designed by the McCall Design Group with ARRIS software. Image: McCall Design Group Illuminated columns with inset shelves and walls of white laminated metal and frosted glass pay homage to the artwork on display. Photo: Cesar Rubio   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.