Amid the rich and varied collectible design offerings at this year’s Design Miami/, visitors were treated to a surprising site: a lush, sprawling green jungle set in the heart of the fair.  The nature-laden respite, titled Natural Instincts, marked the Miami debut of BIRKENSTOCK—and one of the week’s most talked-about partner interventions.

Within, guests enjoyed a break from the hustle and bustle, in a space featuring a winding pathway dotted with nature-ensconced seating areas, interactive displays, foot massages, and more—as well as a gorgeous showcase of handcrafted work by Californian-based timber sculptor Vince Skelly. The artist-designer’s elegant yet approachable wooden sculptures are reductively carved with a chainsaw and traditional hand tools from masses of fallen wood from the Pacific Northwest or Southern California, and—following in the footsteps of celebrated woodworkers before him—highlight the natural grains, knots, and markings of each individual piece to honor the beauty of the natural world.

The event coincided with the launch of BIRKENSTOCK’s largest global retail space, in the Miami Design District, which opened to the public on December 8—spotlighting the German brand’s growing footprint in the US. In parallel, it marked the release of a new collection celebrating BIRKENSTOCK’s 10-year collaborative journey with Concepts—a respected US heritage retail brand. The colorful collection draws inspiration from both Miami and the Art Deco movement.

Describing the inspiration behind the space, a representative from the company tells us: “BIRKENSTOCK’s brand purpose is to empower wearers of its products to walk in the way nature intended. At the core of this effort is the BIRKENSTOCK cork footbed, which for decades has been the heart and soul of BIRKENSTOCK’s product output. Comprised largely of natural materials, the footbed is designed to mold to the foot and provide the wearer with the walking experience of treading across sand. This, in our belief, is the most natural way for humans to walk. With this in mind, we worked with Design Miami/ to celebrate this brand philosophy and form a dialogue on the intersection between natureand design in our lives.”

They go on: “We worked with Vince Skelly to reinforce this narrative around nature meeting design. His timber pieces, placed within the BIRKENSTOCK space, celebrate how human design can marry the natural environment in a compelling way. The bold forms he creates and functional purpose of the timber sculptures also exposes a beautiful raw material in the most essential manner. [Set in conversation] with BIRKENSTOCK’s original MADRID sandal, launched in 1963, designed with brutalist ideals of the time in mind, we believed there was a strong harmony between Vince’s work and the core brand values we looked to champion at Design Miami/.”

Asked what he most hopes people take away from encounters with his work, Skelly says,  “I hope that people see and appreciate the beautiful natural imperfections in the wood. I try to highlight them as much as possible because they give character and a place for the eye to stop and observe. All of the wood I use is salvaged from trees that died of natural causes, or came down to benefit the surrounding ecosystem. It feels good to use natural materials in ways that benefit the environment.”

In that spirit, in addition to the installation, BIRKENSTOCK hosted an intriguing conversation (click here to watch!) with a stellar panel of creatives—including Skelly, glass artist and designer Cristina Vezzini, artist-designer Emmett Moore, and Mariah Nielson, curator and director, JB Blunk Estate and Blunk Space—whose practices center humankind’s relationship to the environment.

Together, the bold installation and panel discussion not only inspired but also encouraged reflection on our relationship to—and impact on—nature.

We can't wait to see what's planned for next year!