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Tola Ojuolape Designs Textured Green Lounge Space for Collect 2026

Tola Ojuolape’s latest commission for the Collect 2026 art fair is a textured green lounge that serves both as a meeting space and a display platform. Partnering with Trimble, Ojuolape leveraged SketchUp’s intuitive 3D capabilities to evolve quickly from flat plans to volumetric concepts, ensuring the design complements the fair’s architecture while offering a contemporary contrast. The design centers on materiality and the senses, using a restrained palette of a few tactile materials to create a grounding, comfortable environment. Inspired by patza principles, the lounge emphasizes inwardness and togetherness, featuring a central hub that encourages relational interaction among visitors and artists alike. Ojuolape highlighted, “Materiality is really to do with the senses,” and added, “I want people to feel incredibly comfortable, to feel at ease, to feel grounded.” She described the final space as “almost like a tapestry of beauty,” an anchor that frames the artworks displayed throughout the fair. By marrying digital design tools with a minimalist, sensory‑driven approach, the lounge sets a new benchmark for experiential spaces at art fairs, enhancing visitor engagement and providing a memorable backdrop that elevates the showcased pieces.