4-Dec-16 – A new restaurant is part of a major redesign underway at Museum of Contemporary Art. Jason Hammel will be its chef. He is the owner and executive chef of Lula Café in the Logan Square neighborhood.

Designed by British painter Chris Ofili, the restaurant will be on the ground floor of the Gold Coast museum but connect to new space on the second floor. In the middle of the restaurant will be a large artwork by Ofili.

“Before I discovered cooking, I used to think of myself as a young, urban artist, a seeker in the world,” says Hammel (right). “Visiting the MCA, I found something beyond the galleries – a creative community of people who continually test ideas and the imagination.” Hammel says the restaurant will offer take-out.

An architectural redesign of the building is being led by Los Angeles architects Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee, who were recently named artistic directors of the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial.

12,000 square feet of the museum will be converted into public spaces that will be accessible, free of charge, day and night. A new, third floor will contain classrooms and meeting space.

“This project efficiently re-uses the current space to fuel the vital connection between artists and audiences,” says MCA Pritzker Director Madeleine Grynsztejn (left). “Every space and service the museum offers should create a meaningful social and cultural experience, and with this redesign, we are positioning the museum to connect with a wider audience that is even more diverse and inclusive.”