Zero-waste installation draws inspiration from construction and building sites
SEATTLE, (July 31, 2018) – Veiled in basket-weave mesh, 21-foot high walls of scaffolding rise dramatically above gallery walls in Perkins+Will’s design for the Windermere VIP Lounge at this year’s Seattle Art Fair. Deriving inspiration from the swath of development and materials used to support construction around the city, the design creates an experience different than anything that has been done at the fair in terms of both scale and use of materials at the temporary installation. This is the second consecutive year that Perkins+Will has been selected to design the VIP Lounge, which is open Aug. 2-5 at the CenturyLink Field Event Center.
“The VIP Lounge provides a compelling challenge: create a low-cost, zero-waste pop-up space that can visually hold its own in an art gallery environment,” said Erik Mott, design principal with Perkins+Will. “We were inspired by the temporary structures found all around our rapidly growing city. With a design that wraps scaffolding in a translucent basket-weave scrim, we pay homage to the craft behind the construction.”
Mott is well known for his award-winning work like the Allen Institute in South Lake Union and NorthEdge in Wallingford.
In partnership with GLY Construction and scaffolding company Safway, Perkins+Will developed a design that uses scaffolding as the primary building material, leaving behind zero waste while also allowing for quick on-site assembly and disassembly.
“Sustainability, design excellence, and social purpose are three of our core values, which is why we are committed to constructing an aesthetically pleasing space for art patrons without creating waste, and we are thankful to our construction partners in helping us achieve this goal,” said Mott.
In addition to GLY Construction and Safway, other partners include InForm, who will be lending furniture for the interior; ABC Printing, who will be printing all branding on the mesh fabric that will cover the scaffolding; and Vulcan Inc. and Art Market Productions, the producers of the Seattle Art Fair. The fair is part of SeaFair weekend events, taking place from Aug. 2 to Aug. 5, 2018 at CenturyLink Field Event Center.
About Perkins+Will
Perkins+Will is an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm established in 1935. Founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance communities, we collaborate with clients all over the world to create healthy, sustainable places in which to live, learn, work, play, heal, move, and explore. More than 2,200 professionals across over 20 Perkins+Will design studios include some of the brightest minds in architecture, interior design, branded environments, urban design, and landscape architecture. Clients consistently turn to us for our leadership in areas like sustainability, resilience, health and wellness, and mobility. Additionally, our Research Labs innovate design technologies and solutions that result in better, smarter, more competitive built environments. In 2018, were named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in Architecture by Fast Company, and we are consistently ranked among the world’s top design firms. Our family of partner companies includes retail strategy and design consultancy Portland; sustainable transportation planning consultancy Nelson\Nygaard; healthcare technology planning firm Genesis; and luxury hospitality design firm Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR).
The Seattle office of Perkins+Will was established in 2004 and has grown to over 100 architects, interior designers and planners. The office has built a legacy of award-winning projects that exemplify a commitment to design excellence and sustainable development. The office’s multi-disciplinary work spans nearly every sector including higher education, healthcare, corporate, commercial, civic, and science and technology. Recent work includes the NorthEdge, BioMed’s i3 Campus, Troy Block, Allen Institute for Brain Science, Swedish Medical Center First Hill Campus Transformation, University of Washington Life Sciences Building and a number of mixed-use high-rise developments across the region.
For more information, visit www.perkinswill.com.
