Edra Soto: Design

Navillus Woodworks: Design Engineering, Fabrication, Installation

Chicago Botanic Garden

Inspired by my native Puerto Rico’s built environment, Casa-Isla | House-Island considers the idiosyncratic architecture and designs of lower- and middle-class homes, redeploying those elements in architectural representations. The horizontal shapes floating on the water allude to the topography of the island of Puerto Rico and a notion of the house as a vessel. In this sense, the work becomes a reflection on states of isolation and the idea of homes as topographical spaces that contain private histories.

Edra Soto: Design

Navillus Woodworks: Design Engineering, Fabrication, Installation

Photos by Maria Burundarena

Year: 2024

With this public installation, Soto invites the community to celebrate a shared home together. La Casa de Todos, or “Everyone’s Home,” reconfigures Via Chicago Architects + Disenadores’ work titled SCAFFOLD, transforming its structure by overlapping abstract carved panels, delineating safe zones destined to house public gatherings and moments for celebration.

Edra Soto: Artist, with Dan Sullivan

Navillus Woodworks: Design Engineering, Fabrication, Navigation

Morgan Lehman: Gallery

Photos by Dan Sullivan

Edra Soto’s most recent solo exhibition Casa Islas at Morgan Lehman Gallery is comprised of another iteration of her Rejas, architecturally inspired abstract prints, and a collaborative furniture/game piece with Dan Sullivan titled Remnants.

Edra Soto, Color Factory: Design

Navillus Woodworks: Design Engineering, Fabrication, Installation

The Color Factory commissioned Edra Soto to collaborate on an experiential installation based on her Graft series for their recently opened Chicago museum.

Edra Soto: Artist

Navillus Woodworks: Design Engineering, Fabrication, Installation

Stephanie Sherman, Davis/Keil Projects: Curator

Part of Soto’s ongoing Graft series, this sculpture is comprised of custom formed, CNC carved MDF panels that interlock around a structural column. Integrated lighting creates an interior glow.

Edra Soto: Graft Aurora

Navillus Woodworks: Design-Engineering, Project Management

Millcreek Metalwork, Advance Enameling: Fabrication

City of Aurora Public Works Dept: Installation

Jenn Byrne: Curator

Photography by Jeremy Bittermann

Navillus worked closely with artist Edra Soto and the City of Aurora IL to realize this public art project located in a small park on the Fox River.

Edra Soto: Artist

Chicago Architecture Biennial

Navillus Woodworks: Design Engineering, Fabrication, Installation

Goodfriend Magruder: Structural Engineering

Edra Soto asked Navillus to collaborate in designing and fabricating La Distancia / The Distance (bus shelter) features a seating sculpture modeled on Puerto Rico’s idiomatic bus shelters.

Corten Steel and Polished Concrete

Edra Soto: artist

Pedro Alonzo for Now & There: curator

Navillus Woodworks: designer engineering, concrete fabrication

Mill Creek Metal Works, Inc: metal fabrication

BRM Production Management: installation

Edra Soto: Artist

Navillus Woodworks: Design Engineering, Fabrication, Installation

Along with artist Yhelen Hall, Edra Soto was invited by the Chicago Cultural Center to show her Graft Installation, this time 40’ in length for the Forgotten Forms exhibition. The Wall, which was the first in Chicago to feature the viewers, was accompanied by a publication and two modified bus stops, previously exhibited at Sector 2337 and Cuchifritos NYC.

Edra Soto: Artist

Curator: Dalina Aimée Perdomo Álvarez

Navillus Woodworks: Design Engineering, Fabrication, Installation

photos courtesy of the artist