NODE - Digital Art Gallery
Palo Alto, CA
Project Type: Tenant Improvement
Size: 12,214 SF
Architect: Hayes Group
Date Completed: 2026
Housed in a historic Palo Alto building dating to the 1890s, this 12,214 SF build-out for NODE Foundation transformed an existing space into a dynamic, technology-rich venue, one unlike anything NOVO had built before.
The project centered on three distinct exhibit spaces, anchored by “the NODE,” a sculptural structure hung from the roof, framed in wood and sheet metal studs and finished in hand-troweled plaster, housing an overhead LED screen, integrated RGB lighting, and a vaulted cove ceiling. Each exhibit space had its own distinct technical program, from structural ceiling grids with theatrical lighting and large-format LED screens in Exhibits 1 and 2, to exposed concrete walls and a Unistrut lighting grid in Exhibit 3.
Working in a 130-year-old building with occupied floors above and below added layers of complexity from day one. Shifting to nighttime operations for the final two months demanded precise daily coordination on scopes of work, material deliveries, and procurement to keep the schedule moving. The wood joist floor system created sequencing challenges that required field-engineered solutions: rather than routing power through excessive floor boxes, the team custom-cut troughs into the existing wood flooring and concealed them with removable patina metal panels, keeping the space clean and functional while preserving the aesthetic.
Nearly every element of this project required a creative approach, and the client leaned in alongside the team. Weekly onsite design meetings brought together NOVO, Hayes Group, AV and lighting integrators, and the client’s event coordinator to solve problems in real time and keep design decisions moving. When a planned solution for the NODE’s ceiling screen proved impractical, the team quickly pivoted to an approach that worked better for both schedule and cost, without compromising the vision. That kind of nimble, collaborative problem-solving defined the project from start to finish.
