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Events
2/1/25
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A Vision Brought to Life: The Collector’s Lounge at Collect 2026
The Maker's Library: Where Technology Meets Craft
As the debut installation of SketchUp’s international design series, interior designer Tola Ojuolape transformed Somerset House’s historic West Wing into an immersive, physical sanctuary: The Maker’s Library.
The space explores how digital workflows can fuel deeply expressive, material-led physical spaces, translating abstract spatial concepts into a tactile, sensory human experience. From early massing studies to the final coordination of intricate textures, the 3D model acted as a living canvas for contemporary craftsmanship.
The lounge functions as a restful architectural refuge. Organic textures, ridged bespoke furniture profiles, and scalloped wall panels seamlessly converge with sustainable Baux recycled wood wool. Ojuolape’s signature palette of sage green, rich camel, and natural timber was meticulously refined directly within the model to balance the atmosphere before a single element was built.
By layering sheer Vescom textiles with lightweight, circular materials, the installation maintains a conscious ecological footprint while offering a powerful, contemporary counterpoint to the site’s landmark classical architecture.
Commissioned by SketchUp as a masterclass in spatial execution, the Collector’s Lounge demonstrates how modern practitioners use digital tools to bridge the gap between speculative ideas and physical reality at the world’s premier design events.
