Kansas City, Missouri, USA
After renovating the Kansas City Museum building, the International Architects Atelier along with Kubik Maltbie has created a striking stone and marble table with carved lion motifs on each side, to be placed in the center of the Grand Hall, as the reception desk.
Kansas City Museum Welcome Desk recently won the “Best Reception Desk of the Year” at the 2022 Prize Designs for Modern Furniture and Lighting from Global Design News and The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
The initial inspiration for the creation of this reception desk was a table that was part of the original furnishings of this historical building that was once the former home of historically prominent Alexander Long.
The table had two intricately carved stone bases on each end with two winged lions, with the weight of the heavy marble seemingly supported by their strong bodies.
The winged lion motif, which is widely regarded as a symbol of strength and power, was an integral part of the new desk design because it echoes the transformation of the building itself.
Both the motif and the building have changed throughout time and culture, yet remain steadfast and powerful today.
Just as the building renovation was a balance of preserving history and upgrading for modernity, the winged lion motif in the new reception desk is a simplified nod to the past amidst the desk’s sleek, white curving forms and modern amenities.
Project: Kansas City Museum Welcome Desk
Designers: International Architects Atelier (IAA)
Manufacturer: Kubik Maltbie Inc
