From Fiction to Fabrication: The Mary Louise Design Story at Nashville Design Week
How do you turn a fictional 1970s music icon into the muse for a vibrant, real-world hotel? At the Fiction to Fabrication panel, we explored how Mary Louise’s story inspired every detail of Tempo by Hilton—blending Nashville’s historic charm with bold, modern design. Missed it? Catch the highlights and discover how storytelling and design can create unforgettable spaces.
The “Fiction to Fabrication” panel at Nashville Design Week explored how a fictional character, Mary Louise, shaped the design of the Tempo by Hilton in Nashville. Mary Louise was a 1970s music icon brought to life by a multidisciplinary team of creators. Attendees learned about the process for creating this identity and how blending narrative and design can lead to authentic outcomes.
Event Highlights:
Unveil the Story: Discover how the imagined life of Mary Louise, celebrated through her fictional album “Nashville Daydreams,” has shaped the creation of Tempo by Hilton, a new lifestyle hotel that blends historical charm with contemporary flair.
Meet the Creatives: Engage with a multi-disciplinary panel featuring Tausha Dickson (Photographer), Emily Goodin (Wardrobe Stylist), Haley Beckham-Shetty (Set Designer), Haley Robbins (Model portraying Mary Louise), and Kirsten Vaselaar (Owner, Tempo by Hilton). Moderated by Rebecca Ozols Goss (Contractor Representative), the discussion revealed how this fictional character inspired a cohesive design narrative.
Explore the Integration: Gained insights into how Mary Louise’s persona has influenced design decisions, from the 1970s-inspired set elements to the hotel’s architecture and branding, creating a narrative-driven guest experience that merges past, present and future.
This event aligned perfectly with the 2024 Nashville Design Week’s theme, past, presence and future, showcasing how storytelling can drive authentic and innovative design. Attendees left with a deeper appreciation of how fictional narratives can inform real-world design and development, inspiring new creative possibilities.
From Fiction to Fabrication: The Mary Louise Design Story at Nashville Design Week was hosted by ESa, the architect of Tempo by Hilton and BELL Construction, the contractor for the project. All ticket proceeds support Nashville Design Week.
Nashville Design Week is a week-long, city- wide series of events showcasing emerging design talent, making space for creative and critical conversations about our industry, and opening studio doors to the public in order to broaden and strengthen Nashville’s design community.
About Tempo by Hilton
Located in the vibrant heart of downtown Nashville, Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown sits just steps away from Broadway, surrounded by shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. Here, both locals and travelers find a bustling hub for socializing and hosting events, alongside chic accommodations designed for relaxation and rejuvenation.
HRI Hospitality has been a valued partner on projects involving historic renovations and urban infill, including the Tempo by Hilton in Nashville. The design draws inspiration from the area’s historic architecture, particularly the iconic Sudekum Tower, a notable Art Deco structure by Marr and Holman architects. The tower’s ornamental details, chrome accents, and expressive gargoyles, along with the vibrant Tennessee Theater at its base, heavily influenced the Tempo’s aesthetic. ESa reimagined these historic elements in the Tempo’s design, incorporating vertical window patterns, a bold color palette reminiscent of the Sudekum Tower’s Calacatta gold marble, and a welcoming entry with warm lighting, paying homage to a lost piece of Nashville’s architectural heritage. The project’s goal of honoring Nashville culture extends to the interior design. Wimberly, who served as interior designers for the hotel, contributed to the project’s vision, aiming to showcase Mary Louise’s experiences through the project’s spaces.
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