MAPEI Corp. and interior designer and furniture supplier Shores Global are collaborating with other industry leaders on Innovation Lounge, a space designed to enable vendors across the marine industry to showcase their products to cruise executives. Located in Miami, Fla., and curated by marine interior design firm Tillberg Design of Sweden, the Innovation Lounge includes a range of rooms replicating those that are typically found onboard a cruise ship.

"The experience was developed to make you feel as if you have stepped onboard the deck of a cruise ship," said Guido Sardi, business development manager for MAPEI's Marine Division. "The warehouse space has been completely transformed into a replica of a ship—you come onboard and step into each environment just as if you were actually at sea."

Onboard environments include a suite, stateroom, bathroom, balcony, spa, bar and restaurant, reception area, pool and open deck, retail area, and more. MAPEI's products for the marine industry are featured throughout the rooms, including the application of expansive teak deck utilizing Mapedeck Teak Design and Mapedeck Teak Evolution resin coatings, which replicate the look of teak without the high maintenance and high cost. Other products used throughout the space include Ultraplan^® Marine Fire, a lightweight self-leveling underlayment that is quick-setting and provides high compressive strength without adding heavy weight, and Mapedeck Terrazzo coating system, which creates the look and feel of marble at a fraction of the weight.

"The Innovation Lounge will support breakthrough technologies, sustainability and creativity through several environments that can be seen on both land and sea," said Susan Sadolin, CEO of Shores Global. "Essentially, we're creating a long-term convention where leading vendors can showcase their products, and cruise and hotel decision makers can have a single access point to all necessary interior solutions."

"In recreating an onboard ship experience, the Innovation Lounge presents a unique opportunity to actually see MAPEI's products in use," Sardi said. "The Lounge allows people to interact with our products in a variety of settings, to actually step on the Mapedeck Teak deck, to see how durable and beautiful the products are. Looking at pictures online or in a catalog is nice, but there is no substitute for actually seeing the products in use. The Lounge also contains design tables and product samples. It will be a great location for us to meet and engage with our customers in the Miami area."

The Innovation Lounge is currently open until December 2022. To learn more, visit www.mapei.com.