The system that makes kitchens thrive is called mise-en-place, literally “put in place.” It’s a French phrase that means to gather and organize the ingredients and tools needed for cooking. The concept of “mise en place” has been used in the development of the new design for the residence at 3131 Zuni in Denver. This idea is specific to the client’s love for cooking, good food and cocktails. Drawing on the use of actions used in cooking, the new interior architecture has been developed in the same vernacular. Natural ingredients and food have be used in the creation of a neutral color palette integrated with small pops of bright colors, like adding spices to a dish. Biophilia has been used throughout to create connections to the natural environment in this urban dwelling.

MO + TA COLLABORATION.
This Design Build project is one of an existing industrial masonry structure in Denver built in 1967. The renovation includes a mixed use program with offices, conference spaces and a research and development area. The project is currently under construction and should be complete by mid 2018.

MO has been working on the renovation of this 3000 sq ft loft in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood. Overall, the client’s style is cozy, elegant and eclectic, which we have used in the design development of the new interior architecture. Elements that have been a part of the renovation include a custom wine cellar, coat closet, integration of a new hall window, a new opening for custom glass sliding doors to the outdoor patio, a custom designed master bedroom shelving built-in, a new guest bedroom closet wall and opening, new lighting and ceiling fans throughout, new paint throughout and kitchen updates.

MO + TA COLLABORATION
This Design Build project is currently in design development. The existing industrial building will be renovated to accommodate a mixed use program that include offices, processing areas and a large production room for a marijuana facility. More info to come as the project progresses!

This was a complete renovation of a historic recreation hall in the Village of Oakland, outside Providence, Rhode Island. The entire interior and existing loft structure was demolished making way for a new timber frame for the second floor. The space was updated with a new kitchen, dining area, bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry room and communal space. The Owners are furniture designers and makers, so showcasing their work was a huge part of the design intent. Woodworking details used in the fabrication of custom pieces were also integrated throughout the interior architecture. Joints were celebrated and what would otherwise be basic construction devices became beautifully integrated, handmade features. It was an honor and joy to be a part of the design and build out of this space for such well intentioned, creative individuals. 

MO worked on this unit in the LoHi neighborhood of Denver. The residence has been updated with custom designed sliding doors in the hallway and new paint and hardware throughout. We took inspiration from the natural Colorado landscape for the custom sliding doors. These door designs were created with a repeating tree pattern. For the second set of doors we took inspiration from travel, specifically Barcelona, the client’s favorite destination spot in the world. These door designs include a laser etched panel showcasing an enlarged street plan of the Barri Gothic area of Barcelona and a portion of a topographic map of Serra de Collserola Parc Natural, on the outskirts of Barcelona.

Interests in textiles and weaving, specifically the tension of a warp and weft structure, was integral to the conception of this project. This stool is a seemingly rigid structure that has the flexible characteristics of a textile, and the seating shifts with the user’s movements.

This lightbox was built to display the client’s 1/4” thick glass antique x-rays. Inspiration for the form was taken from architecture and furniture of the early 1900’s, when the x-rays were produced. Linework detailing of that period was used as the design of the form, so as to not detract from the focus of the piece.

Interests in sustainable materials and building techniques led to a physical investigation of a particular material, bamboo plywood. Making a large piece of furniture made it possible to design in terms akin to architecture. For reasons both practical and metaphoric, a bed seemed an especially fitting structure to be built with such materials.

An investigation into ergonomics: designing and building a chair based upon a body shape, size and preferred seating posture. The silhouette of the form was derived from a most relaxed seated state. Upholstering was key into forming a support for the lumbar region and to provide a sturdy yet comfortable seat. The upholstering fabric, a soft, faux fur, provided extra comfort as well as a humorous quality to the already human-like characteristic of the chair. Finally, a sewn in fleece blanket was added. It can be rolled up and tucked into a spine in the back.

The Hampden South area was predominantly fruit orchards & dairy farms until the 1970’s. We used floral, organic patterns and eclectic materials in the store redesign to reflect this architecture. Originally a homestead of dairy farmers and fruit groves, the region’s agriculture was thriving until the flood of 1933. As an homage to the agricultural foundations of Hampden South, weathered materials and repurposed farm tools have been used in a modern way to reflect a bright, cheerful farmhouse aesthetic. Included in this influence are clean palette wood designs and rough, antique objects. A region of settlers and pioneers, Hampden South’s influence on the Tamarac store can be most strongly felt in the use of honest, rugged materials, hand-lettering and reclaimed wood, untreated metals and antique objects. By combining these rough-hewn materials in unexpectedly refined combinations, the store’s decor captures the spirit of the west while remaining true to the upscale character of Tamarac. In keeping with the authentically Coloradoan ethos as well as the Whole Foods brand, nature was an integral decor component. Behind the forest of office buildings is the majestic Rocky Mountain backdrop. The peaks and their inhabitants define the region and lend themselves to strong geometric repetition. Rendering this mix of natural influences in a simplified manner lends modernity to the aesthetic while providing the store with a sense of place. 

with Arthouse Design

Lisa Moses worked on a renovation of the Morgan Library at Colorado State University while with studiotrope Design Collective. The scope of the project included new construction for an entrance energy chamber, along with new interior architecture, environmental graphics and wayfinding system.

Inspiration for much of the renovation was taken from the original architecture. The existing mosaic patterning, linear vertical elements, coffering along with images of voice patterning were referenced for much of the environmental graphics.

Platform is a new mixed-use development downtown at Union Station in Denver. The design intent here for the environmental graphics was to create a holistic expression of “natural luxury and elegance.” The architecture and interior for the building has been developed from the theme wood, ice and stone. These aspects act as accents and help to enhance the design of the graphic wraps on Platform’s facades. The building’s brand and tagline of “arrive, reset, live” has also been used both literally and metaphorically in the creation of the overall graphic composition.

Working with The Public Works, Lisa Moses developed new environmental graphics and signage for two Whole Foods Markets in Denver, Colorado :: Capitol Hill and Colorado Boulevard stores. Colorado Boulevard is south of the city with views of the mountains. The mountain peaks were simplified into geometric forms and acted as a foundation for the new signage there. Capitol Hill is a hip part of town, and so we played off the existing eclectic vibe for the updated graphics. Natural elements were abstracted and made to emulate the organic ingredients of the products sold in the Whole Body department.Both store elements included designs for aisle fins, aisle signs, case toppers and probiotic refrigerated unit headers.

Design for Swarovski’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair Booths showcasing furniture and architectural pieces made with Swarovski crystals.

Work completed with Orion RED. 

We created a visual representation both architecturally and graphically for these various clients’ exhibit booths and reception areas. 

Work completed with BlueHive. 

We’ve been fortunate to work with incredible clients around the country. The following are some examples of brands we have created, along with designs for logos, packaging, collateral and websites we have worked on over the years.

The form here was created utilizing a combination of the golden ratio and spiral. The hand sewn pieces were stuffed with a compost material high in nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and iron. Internal highways connect the spiral disc forms, allowing for micronutrients to move up and down the sculpture, as well as into the very depleted urban soil. When the exhibition concluded, the farmers on-site used the sculpture, and hence the nutrient dense compost substance, to grow food there for the local community.

Mir2 is a multimedia installation and performance team that uses the international space station as a model for collaborative projects. Our team won the Bessie Award for Performance Installation and New Media for the first project we created which ran October 18 – November 18, 2001, at Smack Mellon Studios, a non-profit contemporary arts organization located in the D.U.M.B.O. section of Brooklyn, New York. Bessies are awarded by the Dance Theater Workshop to honor exceptional achievement in the past year. MIR2 reviews included The New York Times and Art Forum.

Lisa Moses was part of a team that was responsible for creating aspects of the installations that are made of sewn textiles, including inflatable sculptures, the interior, and the outer “skin” of the station.