Home to not one, but two venues, the aptly named MO Gallery & Lounge is now open on Nanchezhan Road in Shanghai, China. Designed by local architecture firm Quarta & Armando, the 2,680-square-foot venue balances its dichotomy of spaces with a sleek and refined aesthetic.
The ground-floor art gallery is lined with a gray-blue resin floor that’s reminiscent of a calm sea. A golden staircase, the main focal point of the space, guides visitors upward through a metal-clad cubic structure that also contains hidden storage and a small workspace for the gallerist.
Upstairs, the first floor’s minimal aesthetic gives way to a more detailed and moody lounge space, which employs traditional construction techniques like boiserie on the ceiling and woven rattan partitions. An Indian green marble bar offsets the mostly black and white palette, while brown, neige, and green leather furnishings punctuate the sitting areas.
A clandestine third floor is accessible via a secret entrance in the ceiling. This private event space is outfitted with refined, patterned wallpapers and rooms distinguished by color.
