Kohler partners with designer Nada Debs at Design Miami • Hotel Designs

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

A Levantine designer living and working in Beirut, Debs’ work spans scale and discipline, from product and furniture design to one-off commissions across craft, art, fashion and interiors. What ties her work together is her ability to distil culture and craftsmanship to create pieces of emotional resonance.

“Having the opportunity to design a modern hammam at Design Miami truly embodies the sentiment that well-being transcends all culture,” said 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. Expanding on the design and process, Debs and Laura Kohler, Chief Sustainability and DEI Officer at Kohler Co., will participate in a discussion at the event that examines how partner collaboration can address societal shifts and result in more sustainable designs.

Image credit: Kohler

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.

“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,” said 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 utilises material for both the tile body and glaze that originate from Kohler’s manufacturing waste streams.

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Main image credit: Kohler