The Fabric Waltz

Soft Architecture in Motion

This project is an exploration of a hotel’s multipurpose room, which is designed to accommodate a range of functions, including a dance floor, dining area, bar, lounge, pool room, and a meeting area for small business groups. The site spans two stories within the historic Chicago Post Office building.

The design draws inspiration from ribbons and waterfalls, aiming to infuse the interior with a sense of softness, fluidity, and dynamic movement.

Wavy side walls are a signature element of the project, softening room edges and enhancing spatial fluidity. Accent lighting—such as wall washes—further accentuates these curves, casting elegant shadows and creating ambient visual interest. Custom-designed furniture is integrated along these walls, echoing their undulating form and reinforcing the sense of continuous movement throughout the interior.

The external walls of the interior structure are reshaped into flowing, curved forms. These undulating surfaces introduce a sense of playfulness and evoke the natural movement of water and fabric, creating a visual continuity throughout the common areas.

The second floor is designed as an extrusion of the first, maintaining a coherent vertical connection between the two levels. Six two-story-high partitions define and separate the programmatic zones while establishing a symmetrical spatial layout. These partitions support horizontal visual flow and openness, particularly accentuating the central two-story dance floor area.