What Happened to The Wing Furniture?
this QUESTION has been coming up time and time again as i was trying to google why the wing (A beautiful co-working chain) has been shut down. this story has inspired me to write about why space design has become more IMPORTANT than ever!
Before I dive deep into the design world I just wanted to give you a heads up - this post has nothing to do with why and how The Wing was shut down. There are plenty of articles about it online but my aim here is to rather pay the tribute to the artistry and design behind their spaces and talk about the great influence that design can have over our lives. It goes to show that it is no wonder that everyone has been obsessing about the fate of The Wing’s furniture!
As a designer and colour enthusiast it was no surprise that I was very much drawn to The Wing design the first time I saw it online. It has been part of my many design inspirations and colour palettes and it’s been living in the ‘favourite’ folder until one day I could visit and make my own record of it. Little did I know when I went to the Hollywood location this spring that I was snapping photos of what is soon to be no more. And to think that I almost didn't go…but that’s another story of how I organise our holidays as per drop-dead-gorgeous-must-visit saved list on my Instagram account.
The space was crafted like nothing I have seen before. From the tiled logo sign and lush parlour-like reception to the yet unseen shapes of furniture and prints that made my eyes sparkle with joy! It’s been called a ‘‘multi-purpose home base for getting things done” by the Pentagram ( the all-female creative wizards behind The Wing’s branding ) and I couldn't agree more. If you are curious (and you must be!) about its space designers, the architect Alda Ly and designer Chiara de Rege, I recommend reading this article by the Metropolis Mag.
But all this beauty wasn’t a mere coincidence or something that just happened. It required such talent, vision, collaboration and I dare say some magic - from the branding elements thoughtfully translated into visuals and infused into the space to the actual interior design and custom made furniture pieces standing as a backbone of this work of art co-working.
What actually happened to the furniture after all? If you search through the web you’ll see how big the craze for The Wing’s furniture was - there were numerous threads and people were literally obsessed with the idea of getting hands on some of the pieces. I’m not going to lie - if I had the chance to grab one I definitely wouldn't say no! Oddly enough, there still seems to be quite some mystery around where all those trendy sofas and chairs ended up. If they ended up anywhere at all or soon we’ll be reading about another take over from some big conglomerate who will take its chance on it arising from the ashes yet again. Third time is a charm they say!
‘Our inspiration was the apartment of a really cool Danish artist you wanted to make your best friend.’ by founder audrey gelman for the architectural digest.
Disclaimer: All photos used for this post are my own. This isn’t paid, endorsed nor promoted by any parties mentioned above.