SoMad: Bathroom Design Open Call

34 East 23rd St
New York, NY 10010

We’re giving artists creative control over the bathrooms in our new home.

SoMad is moving into a new building in 2027, and instead of filling our eight bathrooms with basic fixtures, fluorescent lighting and forgettable tile, we’re inviting artists to transform each one into something entirely their own — a permanent, site-specific environment that will inspire patrons for decades to come.

We want spaces with a real point of view, that are weird, funny, lush, disorienting, tender. We crave rooms that surprise you, delight you, make you linger or laugh, further your perception. After all, the time we spend in the bathroom is ubiquitous and capable of creating a moment for each of us, alone and unhurried, to have a privately profound experience.

You don’t need to make something that looks like a bathroom. You just need to make something that works as one. Bold, strange and unexpected proposals are all encouraged. Whether you already work in the realm of image-making, sculpture, installation or something more abstract, we want to know how your ideas become a room. Functional and maintainable are essentials. No prior bathroom design experience is required.

Open to: artists, designers, architects, and interdisciplinary creatives. NYC-based or able to be onsite for key project phases preferred.

KEY PARAMETERS & FAQ

What is the budget? Total project budgets range from $5,000 to $25,000 depending on the scope and nature of the proposal. Your artist fee is approximately 30–40% of your total project budget (minimum $2,500). We’re looking for proposals that are realistic about what they actually cost — your budget should reflect your concept. Final budgets are developed collaboratively during the design development phase, and finalized for construction. Any costs beyond the approved budget require SoMad’s prior written approval.

What is the timeline?

• Open Call Launch: September 16, 2026
• Submission Deadline: November 11, 2026 at 11:59pm ET
• Finalist Interviews: Late November – January 2027
• Selection Announced: By January 22, 2027
• Design Development Phase: Winter / Spring 2027– exact dates to be confirmed
• Construction Documents: Spring 2027– exact dates to be confirmed
• Installation Window: Spring / Summer 2027 – exact dates to be confirmed, in coordination with GC
• Completion: October, 2027– exact date to be confirmed

Will there be interviews? Shortlisted finalists will be invited to a brief Zoom or in-person conversation with the SoMad team. This is an opportunity for us to learn more about your proposal, talk through concept and feasibility, and get a sense of how we might work together. Interviews are typically 20–30 minutes. We will reach out to schedule.

Find out more about SoMad on our website www.somad.nyc