Submaterial Lobby Installation

19 September 2019 |
 Blog

After several years without a centralized front entrance to greet our clients, a front lobby experience has been a priority for our new space. The Submaterial team produced an experiential design incorporating our business partnerships, company values, and conceptual intrigue.

The double height lobby begged for an installation that would tie the two levels together visually, with natural light and vertical movement being key. As the company has grown and evolved since 2006, we’ve held fast to the concepts of curiosity and exploration.

Diane Ackerman is an influential poet and essayist whose work has enriched the thoughts and concepts of Submaterial products over the years. She writes on notions of nature and creativity, as well as works of nonfiction that

“urge us to live in the moment, to wake up to nature’s everyday miracles.”

Submaterial Lobby Installation 2019

​The quote we selected for our double-height wall reads, “Wonder is the heaviest element on the periodic table. Even a tiny fleck of it stops time.”

Our studio embraces playful creativity and curious minds, encouraging a collective wonder via continuous exploration. This quote was the design seed driving the vision for the rest of the space.

 

SPHERE

The large laminated cardboard sphere delicately sits aloft the lobby’s half wall, intended to be reminiscent of scientific forms and playing off Diane’s quote regarding the periodic table. Each of the five rings is made using ten layers of cardboard. The sturdy sculpture acts as visual gravity, drawing immediate attention when entering the room.

Submaterial Lobby Installation 2019

Submaterial Lobby Installation 2019

STYLING

The room is styled with furniture and accessories from Muuto (couch, table), Herman Miller (pillows with patterns by Alexander Girard), and the Submaterial Index Dimensional Wallcovering sold exclusively through our partner company, FilzFelt. Our new wordmark is secured to the wall in a deep red, which was made and installed by SignPlex.

In addition, our team utilized post-production material to craft an original Walnut credenza, introducing another natural material to the space and incorporating a surface to display sculptural items. Adjacent to the lobby installation, we have a bike rack which highlights our team’s commitment to the environment and alternate transit options (and of course, health!).

We’re incredibly proud of the first iteration of our front lobby and look forward to the future editions and transformations with new products and themes over the coming years. The beautiful photographs of the lobby were taken by talented photographer and friend, Patrick Coulie.

Come visit our studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  We would love to give you a tour.