The leading authority for the Architecture & Design community
February 22, 2018
Text: Jesse Dorris
The LAB at Rockwell Group Builds a Future for Hilton
Enough with thinking outside the box: it’s time to build boxes for thinking. That’s the thought behind the LAB at Rockwell Group’sHilton Innovation Gallery, a 4,200-square-foot showcase for hospitality design in McLean, Virginia.
In the Innovation Theater, Columbia Woodworking’s custom millwork is upholstered in fabric by Fil Doux, below a Rulon International ceiling system. Photography by Hilton Innovation Gallery.
Almost every inch of the gallery is both modular and wired, such as the entrance area’s LED screen, which hides behind a wood veneer wall.
Solid walnut forms shelving in the product showcase zone, with Bernhardt poufs and a custom rug by Crosby Street Studios. Photography by Hilton Innovation Gallery.
A show kitchen offers an island made of quartzite with integrated induction heating, while a product showcase area includes five glass screens within custom millwork, with a “command booth” in the back to control them. Nearby, the VR Experience space, built to the size and scale of a Hilton guest room, includes a mobile 25-foot-long projection screen of backlit woven mesh.
The most innovative feature of all is the Darkroom. “Many of the materials our team discovered were in an R&D phase,” says Rockwell Group LAB studio leader Melissa Hoffman, “So while they were innovative, they were not ready to be installed safely in the space.” The answer? The Darkroom, an infinitely adaptable space for presenting the latest materials, with framed sample showcases revealing future plans.
Custom tables on casters can be easily moved around the Food & Beverage Concept Studio, with barstools by Usona and a Lux Externa Quartzite island. Photography by Hilton Innovation Gallery.A TransTec Translucent Veneer wall in the entry area offers space for branding. Photography by Hilton Innovation Gallery.Embedded LED strips brighten up seating areas off the entrance; a screen descends from the ceiling in front of the rear glass wall for use in VR experiences. Photography by Hilton Innovation Gallery.Frosted Lens with Luminii Chanel and LED strips are embedded into the hallway between the Virtual Reality Stage and the Darkroom. Photography by Hilton Innovation Gallery.Anne Kyyrö Quinn’s custom felt textile panel, lit with variable colors, announces the Virtual Reality Stage. Photography by Hilton Innovation Gallery.Presentations are projected onto the Innovation Theater’s walls using two overlapping projectors; the millwork integrates outlets and storage space into the mobile seating. Photography by Hilton Innovation Gallery.
