< back to News

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Guanacaste 2017 Installation

Inspired by local craft techniques, the Mastercard VIP lounge by Studio Saxe is a temporary installation which has been woven around the natural setting and takes advantage of the elements.

A permeable ‘room’ was built on the beach for the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Guanacaste, Costa Rica that allows the sea breeze to flow through a series of ethereal walls made up of fabric strings. These strings create a web of overlapping patterns that move with the wind and form a space surrounded by gentle vibrations. The delicate fabric pieces weave their way around a series of existing palm trees, ensuring that the natural environment was incorporated into the interior space without impacting upon it. An additional advantage of the net-like walls is that the occupants can enjoy views out to sea and so the entire pavilion pays respect to its awe-inspiring setting. These walls appear to dematerialise as the light changes with the setting sun, thereby creating an ever-changing atmosphere within the lounge. Studio Saxe is a Costa Rican architecture and design practice that specialises in contemporary structures that respond to nature and maintain a close connection for people and their surroundings. This installation demonstrates how modern methods of construction can be harnessed to bring us closer to the natural world through innovative design.

Benjamin Garcia Saxe, Director at Studio Saxe, said: 

“We were inspired by the wind and the way it plays across your skin when you’re sitting on the beach. Therefore, we created an enclosure that would not completely protect from the elements. It had to be an inspiring form but play a subservient role to amazing beach and the ocean beyond. The final space is a feast for the senses thanks to its own shape and the way it directs your attention to the incredible location.”