hospitalitystyle.com

(December 2011) posted on Fri Dec 02, 2011 EST

A/I Design Lab’s display for BDNY’s Trend Walk creates a design exoskeleton.

By Mary Scoviak

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Clear, neutral palettes have been a longtime staple for minimalist and Zen design spaces, But New York-based A/I Design Lab  wanted to exploit the dramatic potential of beige and brown for their Calcified display at BDNY’s Trend Walk(the Stacy Garcia-curated exhibit that features designers' interpretations of her forecast).

The firm’s vision for the exhibit centered around playing with proportion at a literally cellular level. Giant white structures frame the display, echoing the look of bone, but created by using 3D computer software that otherwise would not be possible using traditional architectural methods. “The Calcified  trend inspired our design with the visceral imagery it evokes; chalky finishes on smooth textures, organic and complex forms of fossils, shells, and skeletal structures, and elaborate patterns found only in nature. We wanted to offer the visitor a rare opportunity to be enveloped by these natural sensations,” says Amanda Beethe, partner in the design firm.

Texture is the linchpin of the exhibit, especially with the low-contrast color palette of Calcified. The designers juxtaposed the crystalline texture of round glass lights with the matt surface of the installation’s shell. Brushed metallic finishes play off wood objects d’art.

While it would be rare to see outsized organic cells as a design theme for hospitality projects, Calcified exemplifies the trend toward making large, architectural design statements and using furniture and finishes to complement them. It’s about thinking outside the literal box of a foursquare room. High-impact style starts from the outside in. It’s definitely something to watch as technology opens up the options for creating curved, digitally-printed and dynamic surfaces.