L.A. DESIGN GROUP SHOWS ITS “WILD” SIDE WITH SNAIL PAVILION
COMPETITION ENTRY FOR THE CERAMIC TILES OF ITALY TRADE SHOW PAVILION
Snail Pavilion, render courtesy L.A. Design Group
Snail Pavilion is a competition entry for the Ceramic Tiles of Italy trade show pavilion. The purpose of the pavilion is for the trade association to represent its member companies’ products at a series of shows over a three-year term. Instead of selecting just a few sample products to feature, the scheme uses hundreds of tiles from Ceramic Tiles of Italy member companies to create giant “creatures” that bristle with the range and depth of Italian ceramic products. In this way the pavilion is more like a library with tiles stacked on shelves than it is a surface against which tiles are set in a rigid grout bed. Visitors can literally occupy the entire history and product catalog of the member companies. An innovative stacking system uses a simple assembly method to produce the appearance of feathers or scales – arraying tiles in a variety of sizes and colors into complex, visual seductive plumage, bristles, and whorls. The tiles are organized into loose color groupings that anticipate different sizes and tones, so the system can accommodate a broad diversity of sample products.
Snail Pavilion, render courtesy L.A. Design Group
The creatures organize the pavilion into a diagonal shortcut path that funnels visitors to a pinch point where the tiles stick out and invite tactile exploration. Open figures in plan make the creatures occupiable for food service staging and VIP dining. To encourage the sense of adventure while patrons browse the pavilion, unfolded maps of each creature will be provided to point out the locations of tiles that member companies would like to feature. Browsing floor coverings becomes a safari!
Snail Pavilion, render courtesy L.A. Design Group
Snail Pavilion, render courtesy L.A. Design Group
+ Project facts
Size: 3,000 square feet
Status: Unrealized competition entry for the Ceramic Tiles of Italy trade show pavilion
Project Team: Andrew Holder, Claus Benjamin Freyinger, Yilip Kang, and?Noah Rubin
Materials: Ceramic Tile, MDF
Snail Pavilion, render courtesy L.A. Design Group
Snail Pavilion, render courtesy L.A. Design Group
Snail Pavilion, render courtesy L.A. Design Group