CAL was commissioned by Dominique Lévy Gallery in New York City to design an exhibition for a collection of Calder’s maquettes. These small-scale works represent some of his most iconic sculptures and mobiles, as well as several unbuilt projects. The design strategy emphasized providing a complete 360-degree viewing experience, with each maquette placed on a mirrored surface to reveal otherwise unseen angles, allowing visitors to fully appreciate every curve, joint, and connection.

The two-story gallery was organized with a series of organic, stepped risers that established a clear circulation path and comfortable viewing positions. These forms also created a subtle boundary between the artwork and visitors without the need for barriers. The entire environment—walls, ceilings, floors, risers, and display surfaces—was rendered in white, allowing the vivid colors of the maquettes to stand out with clarity and intensity.

The relationships, composition, spacing, and heights of the displays were carefully calibrated to provide an optimal viewing experience. Within the all-white gallery, the mobiles respond subtly to the movement of visitors, while mirrored display surfaces catch and fragment their reflections, creating a sense of motion and giving the impression that the miniatures are coming to life.