Stadium Skybox Live/Work

Cadence in the Maze

2020
for the Hip-Hop Music Company
4,200 ft² – 390 m²
(confidential site)

Cadence in the Maze

Entertainment Area — strong lines & forms reinforce rhythm & show Maze motifs

Design :

Mengying Qi

Award :

2023 IDA Design Awards — Honorable Mention
Interior Designer of the Year / Commercial
2023 BLT Built Design Awards — Winner / Commercial
2021 Bienenstock Interior Design Competition — 2nd Place Winner

Software :

Revit I Enscape I Photoshop

Overview

A skybox where structure performs as music.

Cadence in the Maze is a private stadium skybox for a hip-hop label's recording artists — a place to retreat between performances. The brief was less a room than an atmosphere.

The design uses structure spatially, building three-dimensional forms that capture the rhythm and cadence of trap music to create a psychedelic, maze-like ambiance. Complex construction and varied textures shape a dark, mysterious space — part recording studio, part stage, part escape from reality.

An independent design, recognized at the 2023 IDA Design Awards (Interior Designer of the Year, Commercial — Honorable Mention), the 2023 BLT Built Design Awards (Winner, Commercial), and the 2021 Bienenstock Interior Design Competition (2nd Place).

Concept

Cultural Background
Concept boards translating the cadence of trap music into maze-like form, with hip-hop cultural background and entertainment-level renders.

Concept — the interior translates the cadence of trap music into three-dimensional, maze-like form; rooted in the cultural background of hip-hop, the brass-framed structure, terrazzo floors, and stadium views shape a dark, mysterious escape.

First Floor

Main Entry
First-floor plan with material schedule and the main-entry render with the bar elevation detail.

First floor — a 2,400 sq ft main level off the stadium concourse in terrazzo, brass, and reclaimed wood; at the main entry, the bar and wine room use mirrored ceilings for a maze-like effect while blocking direct sunlight, with a movable black-terrazzo bar and laser-engraved logo.

Second Floor

Relaxation & Sleeping
Second-floor plan with relaxation, sleeping, and conference furnishings, and the sleeping-area render.

Second floor — relaxation, sleeping, and conference areas with a “KEEP OFF” rug and custom millwork; the sleeping area is a private refuge overlooking the field, with the brand logo in brass and drapery for privacy.