Cadillac Taps Gensler and Visionaire to Create the Ultimate Un-Dealership
Step into the Cadillac House on a busy SoHo corner, and you're more likely to walk away with an iced coffee—and a side of inspiration—than a new car. But that's precisely the point at the new 12,000-square-foot showroom, part of the 114-year-old brand's plan to introduce a fresh concept of American luxury—with a little help from some very connected collaborators.
The gallery at Cadillac House is curated by the high-concept media company Visionaire, which envisions the space as a place to showcase ambitious cutting-edge art that might not otherwise find a home in a gallery or museum setting. The debut exhibition featured the first-ever U.S. show of Amsterdam-based artist Geoffrey Lillemon.
The brand called on architecture giant Gensler to design the showroom, which houses a lounge, coffee shop, gallery, and retail space meant to facilitate co-collaboration and interaction. To curate the cultural content, Cadillac tapped Visionaire, whose cofounder, Cecilia Dean sees the partnership as an opportunity to be "co-conspirators."
Titled HISS MISSY, the immersive experience, which combines digital video projections, a lighted runway, and fog machine, was chosen for its interactive element. And, in the age of social media, it's the perfect place to snap and share a selfie, the curators say.
Open to the public daily, Cadillac House is envisioned as a place where visitors can "come, get a coffee, and be blown away," Dean says.
Beyond the art world, Lillemon is probably best know for being the co-designer of Miley Cyrus's Bangerz World Tour. "Galleries are all about selling art. Someone like Geoffrey Lillemon doesn't have a place to showcase their work," says Visionaire's Cecilia Dean. She sees the Cadillac House gallery as a forum for a new type of public art.
Following up on its debut exhibition, HISSY MISSY by Geoffrey Lillemon, the gallery will continue to be a public forum for technology-forward art that might otherwise be difficult to show in a typical gallery setting."The art world hasn't caught up with digital," Dean explains. At Cadillac House, she plans to show work with "risk and confidence—without a corporate handcuff."
Designed by global architecture giant Gensler, Cadillac House offers public lounges that highlight the brand's latest signature offerings, without a sales pitch. Along with its rotating art exhibitions, that space invites visitors to stop at JOE Coffee or shop a boutique stocked with designed selected by the Council of American Fashion Designers.
Cadillac House is located at 330 Hudson Street in New York City.
Published
Get the Dwell Newsletter
Be the first to see our latest home tours, design news, and more.