A collaboration with Mexican-born multidisciplinary designer Alfonso Verduzco, the ALMA wall panel system from WVH was inspired by Mexico’s “rich material heritage and the enduring relationship between material, craft and space.”
The designer applied a contemporary lens to explore and reinterpret the country’s cultural and architectural identity, which is reflected through the acoustical architectural wall panels that comprise the system.
Translating to “soul” in Spanish, the ALMA system by WVH represents a philosophy that acknowledges the embodiment of physical presence, tactile depth and material intelligence within structural elements. Each panel was devised as an integrated architectural composition and translates historical references, landmarks and craft traditions into functional, modern formats.
An innovative acoustical solution, the ALMA system by WVH is rooted in material honesty and performance, with the panels becoming structural design features rather than a secondary or superficial applied finish. The collection launches with three of nine considered designs: Sagrado, Sendero and Reflejo.
Sagrado (or Sacred) was inspired by monumental nail-studded wooden doors and gates that are found throughout historic Mexican architecture. Made from solid ash that has been treated with the ancient shou sugi ban technique of charring wood, the panels feature solid copper inserts that reflect light in unexpected ways. A patina will change the appearance of the copper overtime, creating a shifting physical presence that nods to the character of the hand-forged hardware of those doors and gates.
Sendero (or Pathway) pays homage to the volcanic stone streets of Mexico that have been worn smooth over centuries of movement, weather and time. Integrating natural lava stone into its foundational structure of black ash wood, the wall panels have an organic flow that references those pathways; each inlaid stone is left raw to not only preserve its density, granular surface and volcanic texture, but to give each panel a one-of-a-kind expression.
Reflejo (or Reflection) was influenced by the reflective properities of obsidian, a naturally occurring volcanic glass. Pairing grey maple veneer with inlays of the “lava glass” results in a tension of depth and transparency and introduces moments of light and reflection within the linear composition.
