SFMOMA Front Desk – San Francisco, CA

PhillBuilt fabricated the curved radius front check-in desk for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). The project and design were by John Pemberton of Carlysle Manufacturing Company, who hired our shop to build it.

Curved solid maple front check-in desk at SFMOMA in San Francisco, fabricated by PhillBuilt — The front check-in desk in the SFMOMA atrium.

A radius desk for a landmark lobby

The desk follows a long radius arc with a raised transaction counter and a lower work surface for staff. Its front is wrapped in solid maple slats that follow the curve, and the whole desk rides on casters so it can move with the museum's lobby.

SFMOMA curved front desk with slatted solid maple front beneath the atrium mural

Overhead view of the curved SFMOMA check-in desk showing two counter heights

Built in our Rancho Cordova shop

We built the curved carcasses, counters and slatted fronts in our shop near Sacramento, working from John Pemberton's design. Building in sections let the desk travel and fit through the museum's doors.

Curved sections of the SFMOMA desk under construction in the PhillBuilt shop — Curved carcasses in progress at PhillBuilt.

Metal fabrication in the PhillBuilt shop during the SFMOMA desk build — Metal work in the shop.

The details

Clean reveals between the counter levels, consistent grain across the slats and hardware set into the curve.

Detail of the two-level curved maple counter and slatted front on the SFMOMA desk

Fitting cabinet hardware inside the curved SFMOMA front desk

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SFMOMA Front Desk – San Francisco, CA

A radius desk for a landmark lobby

Built in our Rancho Cordova shop

The details

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