During Art Basel in Miami Beach, Faena, the Argentine hotel group launched a new public art think-tank, named the Faena Collaboratory.
Founded by Alan Faena, Faena Group is a thriving, pioneering business specializing in the creation of one-of-a-kind holistic environments, cultural experiences and socially responsible projects, from residences and hotels to art and cultural spaces.
Faena in partnership with custom-designed by Antwerp’s Studio Job created a complete identity and sculptures for the new Faena District Miami Beach, which will consist of apartments, shops, restaurants, art, an opera and a theatre. Argentinean hotelier and entrepreneur Alan Faena says he is building a ‘mini city’ in Miami, “a laboratory of true collaboration consisting of a group of individuals of genius who interact, play with concepts, and transform our projects into the most imaginative reality.”
Part of the Miami project is the ‘faena house’ oceanfront residences by foster + partners, alongside the and the Faena Arts Center and the Faena Artists-in-Residence Center, both designed by Rem Koolhaas andOMA. The Collaboratory, sited at 32nd and Collins streets, will open with public art projects by two Argentine artists , a mural by Juan Gatti and a large-scale site-specific installation by Manuel Ameztoy, as well as a series of gates custom-designed by Antwerp’s Studio Job.
Studio Job was founded in 2000 by Mr. & Mrs. Smeets, their collaboration has created highly expressive, mainly one-off or limited edition works, redefining the decorative arts for the contemporary age. Studio Job’s work is exhibited in New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Milan, Geneva, Miami and Basel and their designs are in collection of more than 40 museums worldwide.
The Studio Job collaborated with Faena designing a number of large-scale public art and design installations and custom-design four gates to physically frame the foundations of Faena Miami Beach. The gates, composition of symbolic imagery, life, passion, unity, and transformation that are at the heart of the Faena Brand
For Alan Faena, the site-specific ornamental structure ‘explores man’s search for spiritual and physical renewal and references the mythology of the fountain of youth‘. The studio was responsible to create the iconography for this project, the new work will include sculptures, pavement, fences, wall paper, printed matter, tailor made banner, style book with symbols, graphics, logo’s and a coat of arms.
The Tree of Life, an ancient mytho- logical and philosophical symbol alluding to the interconnectivity between the earth and the universe.
The Fountain of Eternal Youth, a mythic legend that led the Spanish Conquistador Juan Ponce de León to Florida in search of its healing waters
