Tokonoma
for Merida Studio | 2024 | Environmental Design, Photography, Project Management
Designing and executing a meditative, gallery-like booth at Design Miami to position textiles as collectible art under extreme time constraints.
For Merida Studio’s debut as an independent exhibitor at Design Miami, I led the execution of the Tokonoma booth — translating the artist’s concept into a fully realized spatial, visual, and narrative experience. With less than a month to prepare, I managed everything from spatial planning and installation to marketing and storytelling, creating a cohesive, immersive environment that introduced the studio to the collectible design world and reinforced its position as an art textile practice.
01
Problem
After being admitted to Design Miami at the last minute, the studio faced the challenge of designing and executing a fully realized exhibition in a fraction of the typical preparation time. The goal was to increase visibility within the collectible design community and present the work in a way that clearly distinguished it from functional product. The compressed timeline required rapid decision-making across spatial design, logistics, and communications, while also navigating the unpredictability of onsite installation — where key elements like lighting, mounting, and interpretive materials had to be resolved in real time.
02
Solution
I executed a concept centered on tokonoma — a quiet, contemplative alcove — creating a monochromatic, immersive booth that contrasted the visual noise of the fair and encouraged slower, more intentional viewing. The space was designed as a shadowbox, with tonal brown walls and ivy-colored textiles that emphasized materiality, light, and subtle variation. I developed floorplans, coordinated shipments and installation, directed the photoshoot, and wrote all exhibition text, including wall labels that were conceptualized and produced onsite to provide necessary context. I worked closely with the artist to refine spatial and curatorial decisions, and coordinated with installers, vendors, and the internal team to execute under tight constraints, making real-time adjustments to lighting, layout, and presentation to ensure the final experience aligned with the conceptual vision.
03
Results
While no artist proofs were sold during the fair, the exhibition successfully established Merida Studio within the collectible design community and marked a critical step in repositioning the studio’s work as art. The booth attracted attention through its restraint and clarity, offering a distinct, memorable experience amid the fair’s density. The project also generated key learnings that informed future exhibitions, including the importance of contextual materials, pre-fair promotion, and physical takeaways — ultimately strengthening the studio’s approach to presenting and selling work in the art and design space.
The high-pressure debut established the studio’s presence in the collectible design world and laid the foundation for future exhibitions.