Iconic Style

A look inside Arthur Blank’s well-appointed owner’s suite at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Since welcoming fans through its gates last year, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium has solidified itself as an architectural icon. The vision of Arthur Blank and St. Louis-based design firm HOK—in collaboration with tvsdesign, Goode Van Slyke Architecture, Stanley Beaman & Sears, Darden & Company and Holder Construction—the first-of-its-kind venue abounds with innovative design features, most notably a translucent, eight-petaled retractable roof and an angular winglike exterior that pays homage to its home team, the Atlanta Falcons.

 This commitment to novel detail also extends to Blank’s owner’s suite. He tasked renowned Atlanta interior designer Suzanne Kasler to design a suite that was equal parts welcoming and sophisticated. “Arthur was very sensitive to making sure everyone would feel comfortable, so he wanted to create a sense of warmth through unique materials and engaging details, color and art,” she says.

 To accomplish this, Suzanne Kasler Interiors, with Kerry Green as project manager, worked closely with the architects from the project’s onset, even traveling with them along with Blank to tour stadium suites in New York and Dallas. “They were instrumental in translating our ideas for even the smallest of details that we knew would make such a difference,” she says. For example, the two-story suite is wrapped in a rich wood paneling with graceful architectural reveals for a classic and tailored effect. Layers of bespoke details, from the handwoven wool-and-silk carpeting to stunning feathered accent walls, also offer a sense of luxurious warmth.

 “What sets this suite, and ultimately stadium, apart is Arthur’s love of design and support of artisans,” says Suzanne.

 One such artisan is Atlanta blacksmith Michael Dillon, who crafted the suite’s unique staircase from glass, iron and leather. A work of art in its own right, it’s complemented by diverse art selected by the Savannah College of Art & Design’s Stadium Art Collection Committee, of which Suzanne is a member, that graces both the suite and the rest of the building.

 “This is one of the most special projects I’ve ever worked on because of everyone’s commitment and teamwork to create a world-class building,” says Suzanne. “For our part, we’re pleased to have given Arthur and his guests a timeless and classic space that will age beautifully as the building continues to host events and memories for years to come.”

INTERIOR DESIGN Suzanne Kasler, Suzanne Kasler Interiors, (404) 355-1035; suzannekasler.com