To bring a well-loved building into the future, the most impactful changes are always found in updated shared spaces. Redesigned lobbies, amenity spaces, and outdoor areas are important, but we feel that a remodel is most complete and noticeable when focus is given to the smaller circulation areas, places where users are spending moments of every single day. As a piece of 310 S Main Tower’s major updates, we were asked to zero in on their elevators, and work to make them as unique, beautiful, and experiential as the rest of the building.

The contrast of the newly redesigned lobby next to the original, outdated elevator cabs was stark, and led us to decide that simply updating finishes wouldn’t be enough for these small spaces. To bring the cabs into pace with their surroundings, we wanted to turn the elevators into a talking point. We were looking to select ideal finishes, but also saw the opportunity to incorporate art into the project, bringing a renewed sense of life to the experience of moving through the building.

As the bell dings and the elevator doors open to welcome you in, you’re greeted with large, striking photographs on the back walls, each with personal connections to the building. In our process of selecting art we worked closely with those who know the building better than anyone, the maintenance team. As we got to know them, we learned of their long standing tradition of recreationally launching rockets as a group at Bonneville Salt Flats, and the bonding force that this shared hobby has been. This became the inspiration for all of the art. Four oversized images fill the four cabs, each featuring a piece of the distinct landscape found at the salt flats.

The new floor tile and stainless steel features were pulled directly from finishes already being used in the lobby, and plywood panels on the walls and light fixtures were selected to complement their surroundings. Designing for something as carefully engineered as an elevator came with unique challenges. We worked closely with engineers to be sure that we were choosing the best finishes to preserve the current weight of the cabs, avoiding a difficult and expensive process of re-balancing and testing the elevators.