NEW YORK -- Always true to its mission as the National Design Museum, Cooper-Hewitt approached a year-long expansion construction site as an opportunity to push the design envelope. Associate Director, Caroline Baumann, needed a way to transform an 80-foot scaffolding tower located in the Arthur Ross Terrace and Garden into an inspiring focal point for museum guests. She tapped Trove, a New York based, multi-media design firm known for its large-scale wallcovering patterns inspired by nature. The Trove design team of Randall Buck and Jee Levin jumped at the chance to wrap the temporary tower with the Azha pattern, an elegant tribute to nocturnal insects in flight. The installation was created in a customized color and scale to bring a feeling of harmony to the garden.
“The museum connected with Trove through their selection for the 'National Design Triennial: Why Design Now' and they are now a permanent part of the museum’s collection,” says Baumann. “Trove is celebrated for the beauty of their designs and their commitment to intelligent use of materials.”
Randall Buck, president of Trove, adds, “We were honored to be called upon to help. We loved the idea of an oversized Azha installation and were particularly excited when the Cooper-Hewitt team described the brief as a jewelry box to adorn the garden. Our Azha pattern is all about beauty found in unconventional places and we hope museum guests will be surprised and delighted to experience our work set in such an unexpected, natural setting.”
The Azha pattern may appear like a group of butterflies, beautifully spiraling in unison. With a closer look, Azha reveals that the pattern is actually made up of a multitude of moths, scattered in a slightly disorganized arrangement, some flying at liberty and some colliding into their surroundings. Each of the various colorways offered for Azha give the design a unique visual effect – from the vaporous blacks and whites, to the vibrant flashes of pink and purple, each version tells a new exciting story. With Azha, Trove proves that natural beauty is unconventional and ever-present.