Interior Design, Restaurant
Aidlin Darling Design
Insitu represents a unique and rich intersection of art, design, food and culture. It was conceived as an extension of the museum’s mission to provide greater access to art, in this case culinary art. Insitu features a menu that is seasonally curated by 3 Michelin stared Chef Corey Lee to offer a sampling of culinary influencers, icons, and innovators from around the world, replicated in exacting detail in collaboration with each participating chef.
Located in the old Botta wing of SFMOMA, the design emphasizes visibility from the street and a sense of the ephemeral within a simple, comfortable, open environment. It was considered in layers, from shell to plate. The space’s raw shell resembles a Soho gallery and is finished in plaster and felt to provide acoustic balance and tactility. This shell provides a backdrop for discreetly placed “artifacts” which include commissioned art, custom designed lighting, custom furniture and a sculptural wood ceiling.
Key Team Members
About the organization
With a shared interest in exploring design across a wide range of scales, programs, and disciplines, partners Joshua Aidlin and David Darling started Aidlin Darling Design around a woodshop in 1997. With an emphasis on designing for all of the senses they have cultivated a diverse and collaborative studio that acts as the creative hub for an extended network of builders, fabricators, artists, engineers, chefs, and other collaborators. The firm has garnered over 150 national and international awards including the 2013 Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for their body of work.