ST. LOUIS — Much like tourists in the Sistine Chapel, customers who walk into U-Haul Moving & Storage at Kingshighway can’t help but turn their attention immediately to the ceiling because, just like Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the ceiling at this U-Haul Store also is a work of art. The “undulated lobby ceiling” at the Kingshighway location is the creation of Isamu Noguchi.
The famous artist sculpted the project in the 1940s, when the American Stove Company—makers of Magic Chef appliances—occupied the building.
The amoeba-shaped channels of Noguchi’s design were meant to conceal light bulbs. It came at a time when Noguchi was experimenting with “lunar landscapes” to show what the moon might look like. Keep in mind, this was 1945, many years before anyone landed on the moon.
Last of its kind
The ceiling sculpture at the U-Haul location in St. Louis is the only remaining structure depicting Noguchi’s “lunar landscapes.” But until recently, it wasn’t on display. U-Haul purchased the property in 1977, and sometime in the 1990s, the amoeba-shaped channels were covered up by a false ceiling.
Over the years, people would occasionally come by and ask to see Noguchi’s concealed sculpture, which could be revealed partially by lifting some of the drop ceiling tiles. But that didn’t really do justice to the work of art hidden by the false ceiling, so U-Haul Company of St. Louis Marketing Company President Steve Langford decided in November 2015 to restore the sculpture. After a careful process, the original ceiling was unveiled to great fanfare in March 2016.
“We welcome people to come in and view Mr. Noguchi’s masterpiece,” Langford emphasized.
If you’re in the area and want to check out this work of art for yourself, here’s the address:
1641 S. Kingshighway Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63110
Have you seen this or any other of Noguchi’s works of art around the world? Tell us about it, or even show us some pictures, in the comments section!
- Community event held May 19, 2016
- U-Haul Moving & Storage of Kingshighway in St. Louis years ago
- U-Haul recently renovated the ceiling to restore its original look
- View of the Isamu Noguchi ceiling
- Lunar landscape of the Isamu Noguchi ceiling
- The amoeba-shaped channels were originally meant to conceal light bulbs
- Community event held May 19, 2016
- The ceiling at U-Haul Moving & Storage at Kingshighway in St. Louis is a tourist attraction
- Adaptive reuse signage at U-Haul Moving & Storage of Kingshighway
- U-Haul Moving & Storage of Kingshighway in St. Louis today
- U-Haul Moving & Storage of Kingshighway GM Jeff Long (left) and U-Haul Company of St. Louis President Steve Langford
- View of the Isamu Noguchi ceiling
- U-Haul Moving & Storage of Kingshighway in St. Louis today
- Magic Chef Building circa 1940s
- U-Haul Moving & Storage of Kingshighway in St. Louis today
- A false ceiling was removed to reveal Noguchi’s work of art
- Community event held May 19, 2016
- Great care was taken to preserve the original look
- Isamu Noguchi ceiling commissioned for the Magic Chef Building