A new angle on design: Fisher & Paykel NYC Experience Center

Architect: Schiller Projects

Photographer: Ema Peter Photography

Categories: undefined

Client: Fisher & Paykel

Autex Design Consultant: Adrian Carillio

Luxury Kitchen Partners: Arclinea, Henrybuilt, Space Theory, Edgewood Made

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Wide interior view of the Fisher & Paykel NYC Experience Center featuring a custom Frontier™ Fins Axis ceiling above the central kitchen.

A ceiling that supports the experience

The project

The Fisher & Paykel New York City Experience Center is a space designed for connection. Part showroom, part social kitchen, part brand destination, it invites visitors to explore premium appliance design through live demonstrations, conversations, and shared experiences.

Set within an open-plan floorplate, the space needed to support a wide range of activity—without the acoustic challenges that often come with high ceilings, hard finishes, and large volumes of people. From the outset, the ceiling was identified as a critical architectural element: one that would need to balance sound control with visual refinement, while remaining consistent with Fishery & Paykel’s global experience center design language.

Autex Acoustics® was engaged to deliver a solution that could meet these demands—working closely with the project’s design and construction team to translate architectural intent into a precise, buildable acoustic system.

Angled view of geometric Frontier™ Acoustic Fins Axis ceiling enhancing sound control and visual rhythm.

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Fisher & Paykel entryway signage displayed within the NYC Experience Center showroom.

A global design language, adapted locally

The Fisher & Paykel design team referenced previous experience centers in London and New Zealand as benchmarks, with clear expectations around grid dimensions, panel sizing, and ceiling geometry. Maintaining this consistency was important—but so was responding to the realities of the New York site.

Led by Autex Acoustics design consultant, Adrian Carrillo, the ceiling layout was developed through close coordination with Schiller Projects and the installer. Rather than forcing a rigid system into an imperfect shell, the space was carefully mapped and broken down into modular zones—allowing the ceiling to absorb minor variances in structure while maintaining visual alignment and rhythm.

This approach ensured the ceiling read as intentional and refined, even where the building itself presented challenges.

Zoning without barriers

One of the key design objectives was to define areas within the open showroom without interrupting flow or sightlines. This was achieved through subtle variation in ceiling depth.

Frontier™ Axis and Grid Ceiling Tiles were specified in two distinct drops:

An 8” drop above the central kitchen island to anchor the primary demonstration zone
A 4” drop across surrounding areas to maintain openness while supporting acoustic comfort

The change in depth is understated, yet effective—guiding movement, framing key moments within the space, and supporting the overall experience without relying on walls or partitions.

Wide view of the open-plan Fisher & Paykel showroom with integrated Frontier™ Acoustic Fins Axis ceiling treatment.

Custom Frontier™ Acoustic Fins Axis in Parthenon.

Low-angle view of layered Frontier™ Acoustic Fins Axis ceiling highlighting architectural form and shadow.

Custom Frontier™ Acoustic Fins Axis in Parthenon.

Detail of intersecting Frontier™ Acoustic Fins Axis showcasing craftsmanship and ceiling integration.

Custom Frontier™ Acoustic Fins Axis in Parthenon.

Interior view of the Fisher & Paykel NYC Experience Center with integrated Frontier™ Acoustic Fins Axis ceiling.

Custom Frontier™ Acoustic Fins Axis in Parthenon.

Additional info

Precision under pressure

Detail of Grid Ceiling Tile Frame in Fisher & Paykel NYC Experience Center.

As with many complex commercial projects, not all elements were finalized early. Late—stage changes to mechanical components—most notably the kitchen exhaust hood–required the ceiling layout to be revisited multiple times.

Rather than compromise the design, the ceiling was recalculated and redrawn to ensure clean integration around the hood while preserving grid alignment and acoustic performance. In several instances, restarting the layout from first principles proved the most efficient way to maintain clarity and consistency.

On site, the installer worked closely with the design team to field-measure dimensions and laser-align intersections, ensuring the smaller cell sizes remained square and true throughout the installation. The result is a ceiling that appears seamless—despite the complexity behind it.

The result: a ceiling that supports the experience

Detail of Custom Frontier™ Acoustic Fins Axis in Fisher & Paykel NYC Experience Center.

Today, the Fisher & Paykel NYC Experience Center comfortably supports everything from one-on-one consultations to large-scale events. Conversations remain clear, demonstrations feel focused, and the space retains a sense of calm–even at peak capacity.

The ceiling plays a quiet but essential role in this success. It absorbs sound, defines space, and reinforces Fisher & Paykel’s premium design ethos, without drawing attention away from the experience itself.

The project demonstrates how acoustic systems, when considered early and executed with precision, can become integral architectural elements that support both performance and design intent.