Kohler Celebrates Heritage, Culture and Sustainability with Nada Debs at Design Miami/ 2022

Guests invited to experience custom hammam and hear directly from the artist about its design and handcrafted sustainable tiles from Kohler WasteLAB

KOHLER, Wis., Nov. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kohler unveils a partnership with global artist/designer, Nada Debs, through the creation of a custom hammam to be displayed at Design Miami/ 2022. Kohler's presentation of Transcendence by Nada Debs, along with various onsite and digital activations, pays homage to cultural inclusivity, environmental sustainability, and heritage through design and innovation.

The hammam highlights Debs' ability to distil culture and craftsmanship to create emotional resonance married with Kohler's design and material expertise and commitment to environmental sustainability. This soothing and peaceful environment crafted with innovative sustainable tiles from Kohler WasteLAB is perfectly in tune with the overarching theme of Design Miami/ The Golden Age: Looking to the Future and offers an earthly heaven within the bustling fair.

"Having the opportunity to design a modern hammam at Design Miami/ truly embodies the sentiment that well-being transcends all culture," says Nada Debs. "I am excited to offer such a unique experience to the industry."

The hammam is constructed from hand-crafted custom tiles designed by Debs and the Kohler WasteLAB team. Debs and Laura Kohler, Chief Sustainability and DEI Officer at Kohler Co., will participate in a discussion on Dec. 1 moderated by Design Miami/ 2022 Curatorial Director MC Didero that examines how partner collaboration can address societal shifts and result in more sustainable designs.

The design of the WasteLAB tile used in the hammam mimic the arch aesthetic of traditional hammams and offers a visual parallel between the rebirth of waste material and the spiritual and emotional rejuvenation that hammam guests experience. Visitors to Kohler's space will be invited to explore Debs' translation of a traditional hammam journey expressed through a three-room immersive experience within the fair from Nov. 30 – Dec. 4 (located in X07).

"At Kohler, we have a great passion for exploring the nexus between design and environmental sustainability, a passion that is shared by Nada and translated into the hammam and the tiles themselves," says Laura Kohler, Chief Sustainability and DEI Officer for Kohler Co. "Partnering with Nada helps to bring critical conversations about sustainability, cultural inclusion and well-being to the forefront of the Design Miami/ audience and community at large, while also showcasing what we can achieve with sustainable design."

Kohler WasteLAB carries the objective to reimagine the approach to waste by finding value in landfill-bound material and engaging in a manufacturing process where nothing is wasted. WasteLAB is a cornerstone initiative within Kohler's Believing in Better sustainability and social impact strategy. In 2021, the Kohler WasteLAB diverted 11.38 metric tons of waste from landfill through sales and product development. The custom tile featured in this installation utilize material for both the tile body and glaze that originate from Kohler's manufacturing waste streams.

To learn more about Kohler's activations at Design Miami/ 2022, visit StudioKohler.com.

Nada Debs is a Levantine designer living and working in Beirut. Her work spans scale and discipline: from product and furniture design to one-off commissions across craft, art, fashion and interiors.

Nada grew up in Japan, studied design at Rhode Island School of Design in the United States and has spent time living and travelling the world, finding connections between different cultures. What ties her work together is her ability to distil culture and craftsmanship to create pieces of emotional resonance. She believes design can cross time and border and touch us on a primal level. She calls her approach: handmade and heartmade.

Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Kohler, Wisconsin, Kohler Co. is one of America's oldest and largest privately held companies comprised of more than 40,000 associates. With more than 50 manufacturing locations worldwide, Kohler is a global leader in the design, innovation and manufacture of kitchen and bath products; engines and power systems; luxury cabinetry and tile; and owner/operator of two, five-star hospitality and golf resort destinations in Kohler, Wisconsin, and St. Andrews, Scotland. The company also develops solutions to address pressing issues, such as clean water and sanitation, for underserved communities around the world to enhance the quality of life for current and future generations. For more details, please visit kohlercompany.com. 

Learn more about Kohler's Social Impact and Sustainability initiatives through the company's first Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report highlighting goals and progress across environmental sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion and social impact.

Contact:
Vicki Valdez Hafenstein
Kohler Co. Public Relations
victoria.valdezhafenstein@kohler.com

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