Spertus Institute

A Concept of Sculpted Angles

The multifaceted façade of the building suggested to Sparks the many different aspects of Jewish culture and a set of elements to reinforce in the shop’s environment. The pyramidal shapes of glass implied strength and unity, and the glass itself suggests a transparency offering openness or accessibility of the Institute. For Sparks, this translated to everything from details of surfaces to spatial concepts, fixture configurations, and materials.

Multifaceted design motifs were developed for area rugs, perimeter casework, loose fixtures, and storefront. There is a kind of engaging energy established by intersecting planes that evolved into the design of everything in the shop. The contrasts of very light to very dark finishes as a subtle reference to the extremes of hope and despair throughout the history of the Jewish people.

The all-glass faceted storefront creates a relationship with the building’s façade and offers maximum transparency and visual invitation to the offer inside. A large circular showcase and point-of-sale stations are centrally located to promote flow around to all parts of the shop and to act as a “hospitality” greeting upon entry.

The back wall features a heavy contrasted breakup of finishes on one side from the other side and combined with the central showcase, reinforces the sense of two “rooms” inside the shop’s wide space. Children’s merchandise is differentiated by a defined breakup of wall treatment and the use of color fabric wrapped panels behind merchandise niches.

The nesting tables on moveable area rugs offer flexibility to change groupings and configurations, and are designed with subtle angles and cants to reinforce the proprietary vocabulary of this unique building along Michigan Avenue.