Markor will open the doors to its new facility, Markor Art Center (MAC), this Spring at High Point Market with events planned throughout the show. High Point Market is a place of special significance to Markor’s Founder and Chairman, Richard Feng. “The City of High Point was integral to the start of Markor and has been a centerpiece for our growth and experiences for nearly three decades now,” Feng says. “We are excited to share Markor Art Center with the city and the furniture industry as a landmark for where we are now and as a waypoint for where we are headed.”
A private, dedication event is slated for Thursday, April 4. The Markor Art Center opens to all market guests on Friday, April 5 at 8:00 a.m. and will be abuzz with fresh, new collections from both A.R.T. Furniture and Caracole, including Bobby Berk’s debut with A.R.T. Furniture. Berk, a noted interior designer and television personality, will be on hand throughout Market showcasing his new collection.
Other celebrities are participating in the launch events as well, including Lindsey Bennett of HGTV’s "Desert Flippers," who is emceeing events at MAC and acting as the on-camera spokesperson during a series of scheduled national media interviews beamed via satellite from the Markor building to TV stations across North America. “I’m excited to be a part of the launch of Markor Art Center and all the company is doing to advance design and innovation in our industry,” comments Bennett.
Clint Harp, best known as the furniture builder and master woodworker on the smash hit, "Fixer Upper," and star of his own show, "Wood Work," on the DIY network, will also participate in many of the events. “This will be the first time I’ve laid eyes on the completed Markor Art Center,” says Harp. “I really value things that are done well especially when they are designed from the heart the way this facility was.” Harp will appear on camera alongside Bennett, giving viewers an inside look at the new facility and the people and brands behind it.
Violin sensation, Lindsey Stirling, will perform at the private dedication event including some of her chart-topping hits of modern classical meets dance beats. Her energetic performance style has earned her more than 10 million YouTube subscribers, sold-out concerts, and appearances on Jimmy Kimmel, PBS and others.
Feng founded Markor in 1990 with a group of colleagues focused on a shared love of art and design. The business grew from an architectural and interior design business into a furniture manufacturer and now an international manufacturing, retailing and fine chemical conglomerate. In addition to A.R.T. Furniture and Caracole, Markor owns Rowe Furniture and Jonathan Charles. Now Chairman of Markor Group, Feng is looking back with appreciation on the role High Point has played in his life and career, and is looking forward to the many diverse ventures ahead for the company. He believes a new facility in High Point is one way to thank the City and the industry while pointing the way into the future.
Feng designed the new building himself with a forward-leaning plan focused on contextual architecture where the history and identity of a place inform the development process. The Markor culture was also a strong influence given the company’s emphasis on art and emotion infusing its products along with technology and engineering in their production. Detailed sketches, plans, and even a scale model were taken to the U.S. by Markor’s Chinese team and provided to Freeman Kennett Architects of High Point to create construction documents that would see the plan become a reality. “It was a tremendous challenge and an honor to work on the Markor Art Center project with Mr. Feng and his team knowing that the facility is such a significant landmark for the company,” comments John Kennett, a partner with Freeman Kennett Architects. “It is gratifying to see that we were able to capture the creativity and energy of Mr. Feng and Markor.”
