AI Showroom
Small Project (25,000 sf or less)
The AI Showroom is a thoughtfully designed showcase of furniture, design, and hospitality.
Awards Year | 2024
Project Statement
Nestled within Peabody Plaza in downtown Nashville, the 5,652-square-foot space overcomes architectural challenges through the artful use of scale and material.
Various intimate seating areas provide respite, allowing one to linger amidst AI’s curated collections. Four private offices, each with their own character and aesthetic, provide glimpses into different approaches to interior design. The details have been considered with care, from the warm wood tones that envelop the sculptural cafe serving as the social heart.
More than a showroom, the space is a destination for inspiration, bringing together different disciplines of design through its museum-like presentation of all that AI offers. It achieves the goal of both functionality and beauty, reflecting the company’s mission to make design matter through quality of experience. The AI Showroom invites clients and visitors to immerse themselves in the art of furniture, architecture, and hospitality.
Framework for Design Excellence Narrative
1. Design for Resources: Ai Corporate Interiors has a strong internal ethos rooted in thoughtful design. This was translated in the showroom through the use of sustainable finishes, demountable walls and the employment of local craftspeople. Ai primarily represents the furniture manufacturer, Teknion, who they partner with to uphold a reduced carbon footprint and offer demountable walls that reduce construction waste. While Ai offers a wide variety of commercial products, the use of a small local millwork shop was a feature of the Showroom space that celebrates all disciplines of design.
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1. Design for Well-Being: The Ai Showroom is a warm, hospitality-focused space that sets the backdrop for inspiration and community. The architecture and finishes were designed with the intention of welcoming all disciplines of design to collaborate in a variety of spaces and postures. The space retains a gallery-like quality while offering framed exterior views, outdoor access, and functional workspace with a residential feel.
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1. Design for Discovery: The Ai showroom was designed with transparency in design challenges. Restrictions in existing conditions were an opportunity to create a sense of discovery and became a part of the story of the space. The use of compression at the entry creates interest in the expansive showroom beyond where you will then find other strategic opportunities for privacy and intrigue.
LEED/Green Certifications
N/A
Photo Captions
1. Compressed, warm entry acting as the foyer to the space.
2. Expanded opening into light, airy heart of the showroom.
3. Collaborative design center, showcasing the client’s demountable wall product.
4. Versatile meeting space with arched architectural features for practical furniture samples displays.
5. Inviting café serving as a playful hub for hospitality.
6. A detailed moment showcasing the thoughtful color story and lighting strategy in the space.
7. An inside look at the usability of carefully planned storage and display that has a design ethos.
8. The simple architecture of the design center creates a gallery-like backdrop for layering and inspiration.
9. The showroom open concept offers a variety of working postures and opportunities for collaboration.
10. This small meeting space offers a transitional residential feel with a curated color palette and strategic texture.
11. Furniture and finish selections in this intimate meeting space create a relaxed and inspiring backdrop.
12. The lounge provides optionality for meeting and working space, while celebrating views to the city and adding to the layered richness of the space.
13. The boardroom is an elevated, playful take on a formal meeting space.
14. Each office showcases a different desking vignette and rethinks a traditional private office.
15. The open office configuration creates functional workspace without sacrificing the effortless simplicity of the project.
