Philadelphia has always been a hotbed of creative talent. From its tradition of craft-driven furniture to its institutional legacy of art museums, the distinctions between art and design have always blurred organically.
American Street Showroom, an inspiring 11,000 sq ft space filled with objects, one-offs and artwork established by Adam Kamens, is helping to keep this spirit going by bringing a selection of lighting designers from around the USA to exhibit pieces in its evocative space. Featuring designs by Philly locals, such as Tyler Hays, Robert True Ogden and Kamens’ other enterprise, the fabrication studio Amuneal, alongside pieces from Bec Brittain (New York), Cedar & Moss/Esque Studio (Portland) and Will Dexter (Boyertown), artistic lighting designs are installed throughout the sprawling former electric company building. Many have been created specifically for the show – the showroom’s first.
‘We selected these designers and makers not only because they are renowned for their work,' says Showroom director Kim Kamens, 'but also because we knew that each one would have a unique perspective on lighting, which would make for a very interesting exhibition.’
From Hays’ delicate, craftsman-savvy approach and Brittain’s edgy geometric style to Dexter’s artistically manipulative technique, there is an impressive range of work on display. There’s plenty of time for out-of-towners to experience the exhibition too – the lighting display will stay up for the whole year, with more pieces to be added over the coming months.
Featuring designs by 12 individuals, the artistic offerings are installed throughout the sprawling former electric company building. Pictured: ’Drop Light’, by Amuneal
A close-up view of the ’Drop Light’
The exhibition is the first organised by the showroom. Pictured: a design by Tyler Hays
Many of the lighting pieces on display have been created especially for the occasion. Pictured: textured glass pendants, by Will Dexter
’Shy’ lamp, by Bec Brittain
The exhibition will continue throughout the year, with new designs and pieces added over the months to come. Pictured: funnel and bowl shaped ceramics, by Natalie Page
A selection of table lamps by the Portland-based studio, Cedar & Moss
Carved ceiling light, by Amuneal
An organic shape, by Cedar & Moss
INFORMATION
American Street Showroom can be visited by appointment only. For more information, visit their website
Photography: Stuart Goldenberg
ADDRESS
American Street Showroom
2201 North American Street
Philadelphia, PA 19133
-
Itapororoca House is nestled in the Brazilian forest overlooking its leafy coastal contextDesigned by Bloco Arquitetos, Itapororoca House is a treetop residence in Bahia, Brazil, offering a large wrap-around veranda to invite nature in
-
Sophie Smallhorn’s plywood tables for Uncommon Projects are colourful and modularThese modular tables by the artist and the plywood specialist play with colour for function, fun and flexibility
-
Aldo Frattini Bivouac is a mountain shelter, but not as you know itA new mountain shelter on the northern Italian pre-Alp region of Val Seriana, Aldo Frattini Bivouac is an experimental and aesthetically rich, compact piece of architecture
-
With a secret members’ club, this Washington, DC barbershop is a ‘theatre of self-care’At Manifest 002, come for a haircut; stay for the boldly hued social spaces designed by INC Architecture & Design
-
Step inside a ‘dream desert sanctuary’ tucked into Moab's rust-red landscapeSusannah Holmberg designed this home to harmonise with the extreme climate and dramatic surroundings of Utah’s Moab desert. 'The landscape is everything'
-
Nicole Hollis launches a collection of home objects ‘rooted in mindfulness’The American interior designer worked with artists, makers and artisans to create objects for the home, emphasising materiality and visual simplicity
-
USM furniture turns shelter in a New York exhibition‘The Room You Carry’ by interior design studio Loveisenough examines the space between order and wilderness, indoors and outdoors
-
This designer’s Montecito home – once a modest wood cabin – has been transformed into a charming sanctuaryOriginally built by architect Lutah Maria Riggs, this compact family home has been reimagined by another influential female designer – Tamara Honey of House of Honey – who has imbued the space with her signature touch
-
The owner of this restored Spanish Colonial home turned it into a gallery – with no social media allowedCasa Francis in LA is a private residence, but recently opened its doors to one member of the public at a time for an exhibition centred around domesticity
-
This Manhattan apartment and studio is a shrine to artThis New York artist's home is both comfortable and flexible, acting as a studio and a showcase for his work and collected pieces. We take a tour for our interiors series, The Inside Story
-
Life’s a beach at this tropical-glam Miami developmentFive Park Miami Beach mixes streamlined glamour with vibrant colour, and is the focus of Wallpaper’s interiors series, The Inside Story, as the Floridian city holds its annual Grand Prix
