Futureforms - Kimsey Grove - AC Hotel - Scottsdale - United-States

2026-06-10

Located at the entrance of the newly opened AC Hotel Scottsdale Old Town in Arizona, this sculptural shade canopy anchors the hotel’s public space and serves as a welcoming point that connects visitors to the region’s agricultural heritage.

Inspired by the geometric aspects of the saguaro cactus and vivid desert wildflowers, Kimsey Grove is a three-dimensional shade canopy that unites ecological character, cultural history, and the evolving identity of Arizona’s desert landscape.

The installation serves as both public artwork and functional infrastructure, as it creates a welcoming gathering place inside Scottsdale’s rapidly changing downtown area. The project draws upon orange groves that used to flourish in the area, connecting visitors to the region’s agricultural past while simultaneously contributing to its contemporary future.

With bespoke steel components, the soaring structure serves a powerful piece that also functions as a landmark for the new AC Hotel Scottsdale Old Town.

Desert inspiration

The steel canopy draws upon forms, textures and colors of the Sonoran Desert, translating these natural elements into architectural expression.

Riveting craft

Designed and fabricated from a range of unique stainless-steel components, Kimsey Grove highlights FUTUREFORMS’ design expertise. The canopy’s structure is woven together and finalized by hand, creating a distinctive design that filters sunlight into dynamic patterns throughout the day.

About FUTUREFORMS

FUTUREFORMS is an award-winning art and design studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Founded in 2009 by Jason Kelly Johnson and Nataly Gattegno, the duo have collaborated on a range of projects exploring the intersections of art and design with public space for over 20 years. Recent public art projects have included sculptural shade canopies, art pavilions, fine art objects, furniture and lighting, as well as large scale urban art installations and art master plan consulting.

Johnson and Gattegno’s commitment to public art stems from an interest in activating the urban realm by giving the public a way to engage, creating places for exchange, places for pause, or simply a point of connection. FUTUREFORMS’ artwork is experiential, playful, integrated and engaged with its context, but also strives to present itself as an identifiable element in the built landscape. To do this the studio relies on rich, diverse and multifaceted concepts that can resonate with diverse audiences, different ages and uses: the passer by, the tourist or the neighbor, the adult or the toddler.

FUTUREFORMS’ work ranges in scale--from free-standing pieces to those integrated into existing frameworks. Some projects require a collaborative approach with engineers, architects and landscape architects and an awareness of the agencies and stakeholders involved. Always intricately made, with a high degree of craft, the studio’s work varies in terms of effects, relying on geometry, light and shadow to create memorable and impactful art.

Photo : Jason Roehner