Where Design Craft Meets Computational Intelligence
RILIEVO BY PHILIP SHIKHESS
What is Rilievo ?
Rilievo ... is an architectural surface system — a family of custom-designed, CNC-fabricated relief panels engineered to transform interior environments through pattern, light, and material.Each Rilievo surface is conceived through a unique design process that begins with hand sketching, evolves through parametric digital modeling, and is realized with precision CNC fabrication. The result is not a decorative finish, but an architectural feature — an integrated system designed to shape spatial experience at any scale.
Rilievo is designed and developed by Philip Shikhess, and proudly aligns with the standards of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).
The Visionary Behind Rilievo
Rilievo is led by Philip Shikhess — a designer with thirty years of experience in 3D modeling, parametric design, and CNC-fabricated surfaces.
While Rilievo establishes the product, Philip continues to explore the future of computational design — bridging the physical and digital worlds through Omniverse, Isaac Sim, and the emerging language of digital twins.
Fluent in English and Arabic, with international project experience spanning the United States, Europe, and the Gulf region.
Explore his broader portfolio and personal design philosophy on his individual website.
From Sketch To Installation
Rilievo surfaces are designed and fabricated through a precise creative workflow—hand-crafted artistry supported by advanced digital modeling and CNC production.
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Hand Sketching
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Digital Design
Fabrication
Installation
The Rilievo Pattern Language
Rilievo surfaces are developed through a design language exploring movement, rhythm, and depth.
Each pattern belongs to a family of forms that transform flat walls into sculptural architectural surfaces.
Cellular
Organic surface patterns inspired by natural forces such as wind, water, and ocean waves motion.These patterns create visual movement across architectural surfaces and enhance spatial dynamics.
SCULPTURAL
Bold three-dimensional surfaces designed to create dramatic architectural statements.inspired from Venus' flower basket
Geometry
This is a space to share more about the business: who's behind it, what it does and what this site has to offer. It’s an opportunity to tell the story behind the business or Structured patterns based on geometric logic and parametric relationships.These surfaces create contemporary architectural expressions through repetition and mathematical order.
Rilievo patterns often originate from natural growth systems and mathematical relationships found in nature.
Structures such as spirals, cellular formations, and layered geometries are translated into parametric surface patterns that can be fabricated at architectural scale.
Outdoor illuminated planter
The system becomes fabricated architectural elements such as illuminated planters.
Golden spiral diagram
The Fibonacci sequence and golden ratio describe the geometry behind these spirals.
Pine cone
Biological growth patterns found in pine cones.
Parametric relief pattern
The natural logic is interpreted through computational surface modeling.
Materials & Fabrication
Rilievo surfaces are fabricated using advanced digital modeling and precision CNC machining.
High-performance architectural materials such as solid surface composites and translucent substrates allow complex relief patterns to be carved with exceptional accuracy.
Panels are engineered for seamless installation and can integrate lighting systems that enhance the depth, texture, and spatial experience of the surface.
Material Systems
Rilievo panels are fabricated using high-performance architectural materials including solid surface composites, acrylic materials, and other machinable substrates.
These materials allow precise carving while maintaining durability, stability, and refined surface quality.
Solid surface
Plywood
Acrylic composite
CNC Fabrication
Digital surface models are translated into physical geometry using precision CNC machining.
Advanced carving techniques produce complex relief surfaces with controlled depth, texture, and spatial detail.
Lighting Integration & Programming
Integrated lighting enhances the sculptural quality of Rilievo surfaces.
Backlighting and grazing illumination reveal depth, shadow, and movement across the carved relief.
Panel Construction
Rilievo panels are engineered as modular architectural elements that can be scaled to large surfaces.
The system allows seamless installation while maintaining structural stability and precise alignment of the relief patterns.
Thermoformed Architectural Panels
Some Rilievo surfaces can be thermoformed to follow curved architectural elements.
After CNC carving, the panels are heated in a controlled thermoforming oven and shaped using custom templates.
This process allows complex relief surfaces to adapt to curved walls, columns, and sculptural installations while maintaining the integrity of the carved pattern.
wave sink
wave sink
Continuous countertops, integrated basins, and vanity surfaces sculpted from solid Surface — engineered for luxury hospitality, healthcare, and residential environments.
Parametric Furniture
Sculptural benches, custom seating, and architectural ceiling elements designed through generative geometry and assembled from precision-cut ribs.
Parametric walls $Ceilings
Multi-technique compositions where parametric ceilings, relief walls, sculpted surfaces, and lighting integration converge into unified architectural environments.
Lighting Integration
Rilievo surfaces are designed to interact with light.
Different lighting strategies emphasize texture, shadow, and depth, transforming the relief into a dynamic architectural element that changes throughout the day.
1️⃣ Backlit Surfaces
2️⃣ Grazing / Wall Wash Lighting
Rilievo panels can be fabricated using
translucent materials, allowing integrated
backlighting to illuminate the surface from behind.
Wall-mounted lights placed close to the surface cast light across the relief, creating strong shadows that reveal the carved depth of the pattern.
4️⃣ Dynamic / Color Lighting
Programmable lighting systems can be used to transform the atmosphere of the space by changing color and intensity.
3️⃣ Integrated Linear Lighting
Rilievo panels can be fabricated using
translucent materials, allowing integrated
backlighting to illuminate the surface from behind.
Architectural Applications
Rilievo surfaces can be developed in a wide range of visual languages—from flowing organic patterns to geometric structures and sculptural reliefs. Each design is custom generated to fit the scale and identity of the project.
Rilievo technology allows highly detailed imagery to be carved into translucent solid-surface materials. Using precision CNC machining, photographic or illustrative compositions can be translated into intricate relief patterns that interact with light.
When illuminated from behind, the carved surface reveals subtle depth, shadow, and layered detail, transforming the panel into a luminous architectural artwork.
This approach enables the creation of custom feature walls, illuminated partitions, and sculptural installations that combine art, material, and light into a single architectural element.
Rilievo surfaces can be integrated into a wide range of architectural environments, transforming walls and spatial elements into sculptural features.
Hospitality
By utilizing NVIDIA Omniverse for real-time light simulation, we ensure that the interplay between the 3D geometry and the integrated LED backlighting is perfected before fabrication. This "Luminous Bloom" feature demonstrates how Rilievo surfaces bridge the gap between structural wall coverings and bespoke light art in high-traffic hospitality environments.
Corporate
Rilievo surfaces transform corporate environments into landmarks of brand authority. In large-scale atria and executive lobbies, our 3D textures serve as the visual anchor, merging architectural permanence with high-tech symbolism. By utilizing NVIDIA Omniverse, we ensure the material’s scale and light reflection are perfectly calibrated for massive open spaces, providing a professional aesthetic that communicates innovation and stability.
Luxury Residential
Custom Rilievo surfaces can transform residential spaces into highly personalized architectural environments.
Applications include living room feature walls, entry statements, and illuminated sculptural panels.
Commercial Spaces
Retail environments, offices, and showrooms can use Rilievo surfaces to establish strong spatial identity and branding.
The sculptural relief creates a dynamic visual backdrop for modern commercial interiors.
Wellness & SPA
Rilievo surfaces are engineered to transform wellness environments into immersive "sensory escapes." By utilizing biophilic design principles, our 3D textures evoke the calming rhythms of nature, significantly enhancing the guest’s journey toward relaxation. Through the NVIDIA Omniverse ecosystem, we simulate how soft, ambient light penetrates and reflects off our surfaces, ensuring the final installation creates a serene, non-clinical atmosphere that is both physically durable and emotionally grounding.
Feature Walls
Retail environments, offices, and showrooms can use Rilievo surfaces to establish strong spatial identity and branding.
The sculptural relief creates a dynamic visual backdrop for modern commercial interiors.
Luxury Beauty Salons
& Grooming Ateliers
In the beauty and grooming industry, the environment is a direct reflection of the service quality. Rilievo surfaces provide a high-impact, "Instagrammable" backdrop that elevates the prestige of the salon while serving a functional purpose. By leveraging NVIDIA Omniverse to simulate how light bounces off our 3D textures, we ensure a soft, flattering diffusion of light that is essential for beauty environments.
Medical Centers
& Wellness Atria
Rilievo is engineered to redefine the patient experience by converting clinical environments into healing sanctuaries. In high-traffic medical atria, our biophilic 3D textures serve a crucial, restorative function, reducing patient anxiety and staff stress. By utilizing NVIDIA Omniverse to simulate how light interacts with the material,
Luxury Outdoor
Water Features
& Sculptural Pool Walls
Rilievo redefines luxury living by transforming static architectural surfaces into dynamic, living sculptures. Designed for high-end residential estates and exclusive resort properties, our surfaces are engineered to interact with water and light, creating a multisensory environment. By utilizing NVIDIA Omniverse to simulate both light reflection and fluid dynamics, we perfectly calibrate how water cascades over the 3D patterns, ensuring a flawless balance of motion, sound, and tranquility that becomes the signature element of the modern home sanctuary.
Luxury Bathrooms
& Master En-Suites
Rilievo surfaces redefine the bathroom, turning it from a purely functional space into a private wellness sanctuary. By integrating moisture-resistant 3D textures with soft, ambient backlighting, we create an intimate and serene atmosphere for master en-suites and high-end powder rooms. Utilizing NVIDIA Omniverse, we precisely calibrate how soft light from the integrated LEDs penetrates and glows through the material, ensuring the installation maintains its tranquil mood, even in high-humidity conditions.
Luxury Kitchens
& Indoor-Outdoor
Culinary Spaces
Rilievo redefines the modern kitchen, converting it from a workspace into a high-design culinary gallery. By integrating complex, non-repeating hexagonal geometries with soft, functional backlighting, we create a multisensory environment that inspires creativity. Using the NVIDIA Omniverse ecosystem, we ensure the material's surface depth and light diffusion are perfectly calibrated to interact with both professional task lighting and natural daylight, establishing a tranquil mood while maintaining the strict durability requirements of a professional-grade kitchen.
Art Installations
Some Rilievo surfaces function as architectural art pieces, blending sculpture, lighting, and material craftsmanship.
These installations can become focal points within galleries, cultural spaces, and luxury environments.
The Technology Behind Rilievo
Where computational design meets architectural craft.
Rilievo is more than a product — it is a workflow that bridges hand sketching, parametric design, robotic fabrication, and the emerging world of digital twins.
By combining Rhino and Grasshopper for parametric geometry, NVIDIA Omniverse for real-time visualization, and Isaac Sim for physics-accurate fabrication simulation, Rilievo represents a new generation of computational architecture — where every surface can be designed, simulated, validated, and manufactured with unprecedented precision.
This is the same workflow shaping tomorrow's smart hospitality environments, luxury residential design, and the architectural visions of NEOM, Vision 2030, and beyond.
Philip Shikhess
Vision
Rilievo was developed as an exploration of how digital fabrication can transform architectural surfaces into sculptural elements. Rather than treating walls as flat boundaries, the goal was to introduce depth, rhythm, and movement through CNC-carved relief patterns.
By combining computational design with precise fabrication techniques, Rilievo allows architects and designers to integrate custom surface geometries directly into their spatial compositions. Each project becomes a dialogue between material, light, and architectural form.
Selected Projects
Sixteen built installations across Michigan and Florida — hospitality, healthcare, retail, and luxury environments.
Modern Greek Restaurant
Troy , Michigan , USA
Antonio's Café
Miami , Florida , USA
Dr. Dakka Aesthetics Clinic
Dearborn , Michigan , USA
Start a Project. Specify Rilievo. Or Connect.
Whether you are a designer specifying Rilievo for a project, an architect exploring computational surface systems, or a developer planning the next generation of hospitality and luxury environments — we welcome the conversation.
Rilievo by Philip Shikhess
Troy, Michigan, USA
| +1 248 5041 594 Available for projects and senior consulting opportunities across the United States, Europe, and the Gulf region.
© 2026 Philip Shikhess. All rights reserved.
This website and its contents, including designs, artwork, images, renderings, text, and architectural surface systems, are the intellectual property of Philip Shikhess. Website designed and developed by Philip Shikhess.