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Marble covered with plaster and metal treated with acid are among the repurposed materials used by Japanese architect Shogo Onodera to minimise waste while fitting out the flagship store of fashion brand IZA Tokyo. More
Brazilian studios Vaga Arquitectura and Atelier Pistache Ganache teamed up to design a “consumer-first” boutique outfit with curving coral walls for a mattress company in Sāo Paulo. More
Tokyo studio Schemata Architects has combined Japanese and Western designs inside a traditional wooden townhouse in Kyoto to create a store for perfumery brand Le Labo.
The building, otherwise known as a machiya, is located in the Kiyamachi area and has been revamped to incorporate Le Labo’s typical finishes while respecting its 145-year-old architecture.
The flagship store is located in an old Kyoto townhouse”How can a brand born and loved in the USA, a country with a culture of shoes-on, be in step with the values of traditional Japanese architecture, a culture of shoes-off, and blend in with Japanese culture?” Schemata Architects founder Jo Nagasaka told Dezeen.
“The project was a struggle between the two.”
Schemata Architects’ design respects the original interiorLe Labo stores are normally located in pared-back modern concrete buildings, but here, Schemata Architects kept the feel of the old townhouse, while making concessions for Western customs.
“We were discussing all the time how much of the existing weathered textures should be retained,” Nagasaka said.
A craftsman room is located on the second floorThe first floor, which showcases the brand’s products, feels more like other Le Labo stores, while the second, which houses offices, a craftsman room and a “fragrance organ”, has a more traditional feel.
“The first floor was furnished as a place to spend time standing up with shoes on, and products were displayed,” Nagasaka said.
“The second floor, on the other hand, was designed as a place to go up without shoes due to the height of the floor and the structure of the floor, so it consists mainly of low furniture.”
Antique and vintage furniture is used throughoutAs the store is located in an ancient city – Kyoto has been a city since 794 – Schemata Architects wanted the interior fittings to adhere to the traditional style of a machiya.
“The countertops, wall shelves, staircase, and other architectural elements are composed using the language of the machiya, and the paint scheme is consistent with the existing one, using antique colours of bengara, red earth pigment, and shown, pine soot,” the studio said.
Schemata Architects designed a pine staircase for the interiorThe studio has used mostly antique Japanese furniture pieces for the display cases and vintage Western metal lamps for the lighting design.
Schemata Architects also designed a staircase and shelving in pine wood for the interior, dying them to match the building’s existing structures.
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“We wanted the staircase and shelves to be as close to the existing structure as possible, so we applied an ‘old colour paint’ over the common type of wood, the same as is applied to the existing structure,” Nagasaka said.
“Old colour paint is a colour-controlled mixture of persimmon tannin and soot of burnt pine.”
Walls are left bare with products displayed on pine shelvesThe store, which also has a cafe in an adjacent building across a small courtyard, now embodies the “spirit of Le Labo,” according to Schemata Architects.
“By carefully connecting and blending the machiya building with new fixtures, furniture, and products, it embodies the spirit of Le Labo, which treats time, age, craftsmanship, handiwork, and textures with great care,” the studio concluded.
Other recent projects by Schemata Architects include a concrete-and-brick gallery in Seoul and a public bathhouse clad in turquoise tiles.
The photography is courtesy of Le Labo.
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Los Angeles-based studio 22RE has combined metal grids, black and mirrored surfaces, and bold splashes of colour inside this men’s multi-brand boutique in the city’s Arts District.
The second Departamento location is situated in the Signal retail enclave, which occupies a series of warehouses southeast of Downtown LA.
The Departamento store features custom elements like a green fibreglass and resin jewellery displayUsing the building’s industrial bones to inform design decisions, 22RE took styling sensibilities of 20th-century modernists like Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra.
“Inside, 22RE leans into the original architecture’s industrial elements through a deconstructivist lens,” said the studio.
From inside a coffee shop, visitors pass through a concealed entrance and a mirrored portal to access the storeThe store’s entrance is concealed inside a Concierge Coffee, leading to a mirrored portal that opens onto the shop floor.
While the layout follows a typical grid, the designers have inserted a variety of partitions, volumes and displays that “disrupt” the flow and encourage shoppers to explore.
A triangular niche with mirrored walls creates infinite reflections”This non-linear layout challenges the traditional browsing experience and provides an unconventional yet effective approach to shopping,” said 22RE.
A pair of curved metal-clad walls that evoke a Richard Serra sculpture form a narrow corridor from one area to another, while also displaying garments on their concave sides.
Partitions and volumes are strategically placed to frame views and encourage explorationBlackened wood panels form an enclosed space, inside which bright white walls and repurposed wooden framing contrast dramatically with the rest of the store interior.
“The space, entered via a slatted, sliding door, invites guests to experience the collection in a ryokan-inspired setting, evoking the traditional Japanese inn,” said 22RE.
A red cylindrical element acts a fitting roomThis shop-in-shop was designed in collaboration with fashion brand Taiga Takahashi, and also features shelving made from tatami mats and flooring intended to resemble pebble stones.
Another triangular niche features mirrored walls that create infinite reflections of the apparel and the aubergine-coloured carpet on the floor.
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“Collections are hung and displayed via monolithic and sculpturesque forms that divide up the space, creating a fluid but juxtaposing dichotomy between the heavier wood forms and the lighter metallic elements,” 22RE said.
A red cylindrical volume is used as a fitting room, while further dressing areas are tucked away behind silver curtains.
22RE collaborated with Taiga Takahashi on a blackened wood shop-in-shop spaceCustom elements include a green fibreglass resin-and-foam jewellery case and a chiselled aluminium side table.
A white aluminium ceiling grid stretches across the entire store, extending over all of the freestanding elements, with lighting embedded behind creating futuristic glowing patches.
Influenced by Japanese ryokan inns, the space features white walls and repurposed timber framing22RE was founded by principal Dean Levin in 2021, and has since completed a range of interior design projects across the US.
The studio recently wrapped up the offices for a creative music agency in LA that include a 1970s-style sunken meeting room and a golf clothing boutique in Miami lined with pale-green stucco.
The photography is by Erik Stackpole Undehn.
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Chinese interior studio Various Associates has completed an irregular pyramid-shaped flagship store for drone brand DJI in Shenzhen, China.
Located at OCT Harbour on the shores of Shenzhen Bay, the flagship store was designed to demonstrate the Chinese drone company’s latest technology.
Various Associates designed the largest DJI flagship in ShenzhenThe 4000-square-metre store contains spaces for product display, a gallery, customer service area and an event space in four floors, in addition to a public park called DJI Oasis, which is used for drone flights.
The multi-facated facade was clad in granite with large triangular windows on the angled surfaces facing the park, which is connected to the second floor via an outdoor, zigzagging staircase.
A new staircase connecting all floors is inserted into the buildingGentle ramps in the park lead visitors into the store, while forming a series of triangular patterns, responding to the same geometric form of the architecture.
To minimise the direct sun exposure from the glass facade, Various Associates inserted an “interior skin” of stainless steel louvres to the outer shell of the building.
The second layer forms an origami shape on the ceiling that corresponds to the outer shape.
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“We hope to solve the problems of site mobility and sun exposure through a holistic program, and simplify the visual complexity of the interior walls and window sills, while retaining the original geometric aesthetics of the site architecture,” explained the Shenzhen-based studio.
“The newly added ‘interior skin’ filters the sunlight, casting unique daylight patterns throughout the day, creating a sense of outdoors.”
Display tables and lightings are informed by DJI’s classic drones’ propeller bladesOn the ground floor, DJI’s drone products are displayed on custom-made tables in angled shape of the brand’s classic drones’ propeller blades.
They are lit from above by lights, which are same shape, suspended from the ceiling.
A gallery-like space on the third floor is used to exhibit photographyThe third floor of the building contains the Hasselblad Experience Station – a joint display area for DJI and Swedish camera and lenses brand Hasselblad.
The gallery-like space with a darker tone contrasts the bright and airy product section downstairs, which is used for showcasing the photography created by DJI and Hasselblad.
An event space on the top floor features a 15-meter-high ceilingThe building is topped with the 15-meter-high DJI Horizon Hall, which was designed as an event venue. According to the studio, the dramatic geometric space naturally draws visitors to look up upon entering, evoking the actions of watching a drone taking off.
Various Associates is an architecture and interior design studio founded by Dongzi Yang and Qianyi Lin in 2017. Elsewhere in Shenzhen, the studio previously designed a cafe and cocktail bar that emulates a small cosy cabin.
The photography is by SFAP.
Project credits:
Architect: Various AssociatesChief designers: Qianyi Lin, Dongzi YangProject management: Hanqun CaiDesign team: Yuwen Deng, Zebing Li, Benzhen Pan, Chao Luo, Junrui Zhang, Qian Xie, Yue ZhangLighting design: GD Lighting DesignMEP design: Tongji ArchitectsStructural design: Tongji ArchitectsContractor: HECIAN
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Interiors studio Tabitha Isobel has designed a gallery-like store in central London for luxury luggage brand Carl Friedrik, featuring a rich and inviting palette comprising dark wood, metal and draped fabrics.
Carl Friedrik approached studio founder Tabitha Organ to design the company’s first physical store, located in a Grade-II listed building on Regent Street just off Piccadilly Circus.
Tabitha Isobel has designed Carl Friedrik’s Regent Street storeOrgan and her team developed a scheme for the 65-square-metre space that references the pared-back look and materiality of the company’s products, which combine heritage details with modern styling.
“The brand style of Carl Friedrik is quite minimalistic and they wanted that to come across in the interiors,” Organ told Dezeen.
Drapes provide a theatrical backdrop for the products”The brief was to design a space that emulated an art gallery and concept store whilst also being practical, warm and inviting – a space where the products could take centre stage, be admired and have space to breathe,” she added.
The building’s listed status meant that only minor alterations could be made to the existing interior, which retained several of its original features including ornate cornicing and rich Versailles oak flooring.
Lamps by &tradition and display trays by Tiger Nicholson introduce a metallic touchThe previous tenants had painted the walls a cold shade of grey and the space featured shelving in a traditional style that didn’t reflect Carl Friedrik’s more contemporary values.
Organ chose a lighter, warmer shade for the walls that makes the most of daylight entering through windows on two sides. She also used calico fabric throughout the interior to soften the overall aesthetic and give it a more welcoming feel.
Due to the short-term nature of the lease on this space, everything in the store was designed to be easily dismantled and reused in an alternative venue if required.
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Drapes hung in front of two of the walls conceal the existing cabinetry and provide a theatrical backdrop for smaller bags and items displayed on aluminium shelves.
Fabric suspended from the ceiling also surrounds a central column, helping to partition the large space and create a layered effect that draws the customer’s eye through the room.
Bespoke plinths designed to display larger luggage items are finished in a consistent minimal and monolithic style to ensure attention is focused on the products.
Midcentury armchairs and a marble coffee table form a small lounge areaThe plinths were made in the north of England by fabricator Studio Tuesday using stained oak or wood lacquered in Carl Friedrik’s brand colour.
Throughout the store, Tabitha Isobel used aluminium and chrome to introduce reflective accents that catch the eye. The plinths are set on recessed aluminium bases that lighten their visual mass and create a floating effect.
Brushed aluminium was also used for the base of a custom-made display table featuring an inset panel made from the same chocolate-coloured leather as some of the brand’s products. There are no tills in the store as all orders are taken using handheld devices.
A Philippi bowl adds further metallic detailsA corner of the space is designated as a cosy lounge area organised around an existing fireplace. It features a woven bench positioned opposite a pair of mid-century armchairs and a marble coffee table chosen to complement the scheme’s material palette.
Portable lamps by Danish brand &tradition and a bowl by German firm Philippi add further metallic details, while the display trays positioned around the store are made by Organ’s brother Tiger Nicholson, a stonemason based in Henley-on-Thames.
To enhance the gallery-like feel, artworks including photographs by Daniëlle Siobhán and paintings by Melanie Anne Haynes provide focal points on some of the walls.
Decorative flowers provide a pop of colourCarl Friedrik’s longer-term vision is to open additional stores that will utilise the same minimalistic style and rich material palette as the Regent Street store.
Tabitha Organ established her studio in 2023 after a decade of working in the industry for studios including Conran and Partners and Tatjana von Stein.
The Carl Friedrik store is her first retail project after working predominantly on residences including a London townhouse that combines natural materials with futuristic details.
The photography is by Daniëlle Siobhán.
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Spanish fashion house Loewe paid homage to its own craft history in this Seoul store, which features artwork including a multi-level bamboo sculpture and a basket woven entirely from horse hair.
The store is located in Seoul’s Gangnam district and is the first Casa Loewe branch in South Korea.
Loewe has opened a new shop in Seoul’s Gangnam districtA gleaming monolithic facade characterises the exterior, covered in handmade ceramic tiles in a verdant shade of green.
“With tiles crafted in Spain, the facade is a bold volume of colour and texture that sits in dialogue with the store’s urban context and surrounding greenery,” said Loewe.
Tile-clad plinths and shelving features insideThe interior spans three floors and also features a selection of brown, green and blue tiles, which clad blocky plinths and shelves displaying garments, bags and footwear.
By incorporating art throughout the store, Loewe aimed to reference its origins as a leather-making collective in the 19th century, as well as nodding to its annual craft prize.
Eclectic artwork characterises the storeThe collection of pieces includes a multi-level bamboo sculpture by Japanese artist Tanabe Chikuunsai IV. The bamboo was used to form a duo of cylinders resembling tree trunks, which stretch from the ground floor’s central atrium up onto the first floor, where they intertwine.
Among the other artwork on show is a delicate vessel by 2022 Craft Prize winner Dahye Jeong, who wove an intricate basket out of wispy strands of horse hair.
The collection includes a multi-level bamboo sculpture by Tanabe Chikuunsai IVAccording to Loewe, the brand conceived the store as “a place where a blend of fashion, art, craft and design furniture creates the eclectic feel of an art collector’s home”.
Furniture pieces are finished in a selection of materials ranging from custom felt to black walnut and canvas.
Loewe presents 24 lamps characterised by “unexpected interactions” with light
Bespoke Loewe leather benches provide seating for trying on shoes, while black terrazzo and burnt wood were used to create tables and podiums respectively.
Artisanal wool carpets were patterned with abstract interpretations of tapestries by British textile artist John Allen that depict expansive landscapes.
Wool carpets were finished with abstract interpretations of tapestries by John AllenThe rest of the interior is defined by swathes of concrete that contrast with the eclectic artworks on display, as well as oak, brass and marble accents.
This May, Mexican ceramicist Andrés Anza was named the seventh winner of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize for her “arresting” human-sized ceramic sculpture. Elsewhere in East Asia, the fashion house recently opened a store in Osaka, Japan, specifically dedicated to the repair and preservation of Loewe leather goods.
The photography is courtesy of Loewe.
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Shiny silver curtains and a lacquered burgundy stage feature inside the flagship store for Danish womenswear label Rotate, which opened in Copenhagen during fashion week.
Locally based French designer Thibaut Allgayer designed the two-level store on Kristen Bernikows Gade.
Rotate’s flagship store features a mirrored counter and a lacquered burgundy stageIt is the first physical location for Rotate, which was launched by stylist influencers Thora Valdimars and Jeanette Friis Madsen in 2018 and is part of the Birger Christensen Collective.
Allgayer’s design concept was to create a series of freestanding architectural elements that divide the space into different zones and allow it to function in different ways.
The counter is formed of three stacked semi-circles”We were thinking about what a flagship store for a brand is today,” explained Allgayer during a preview tour.
“It’s not only about selling clothes; it’s a destination,” he told Dezeen. “It should also be welcoming for parties and events, creating different experiences.”
Burgundy wall units organise the ground-floor spaceA mirrored counter, formed of three stacked semi-circles, is the first thing customers see as they arrive.
This polished stainless-steel element rotates around an existing column, allowing it to function as a checkout desk, a bar or a display unit.
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Also in this room, a triangular set of steps can serve as a seating area or a stage. With its high-shine burgundy lacquer finish, it provides a focal point in the corner of the space.
Wall units with the same burgundy lacquer finish divide the front of the store from the rear, creating a narrow central corridor with video screens integrated into the walls.
Silver curtains frame an oval roomThis leads through to an oval room framed by silver curtains, slender graphic display rails and a curvy white sofa.
A custom-built brushed-steel staircase connects the ground floor with the basement, a carpeted space with a dressing-room feel. Details include silk curtains, a daybed and a vertical lighting fixture.
Fitting rooms offer a kaleidoscopic effectChanging rooms are slotted in behind the new fixture, with mirrors creating a kaleidoscopic effect.
“The brand plays with this contrast between raw and sleek, fun and serious, soft and strict, colourful and neutral,” said Allgayer.
“I was trying to translate that into the architecture.”
A custom-built brushed-steel staircase leads downstairsCombined with the silver and burgundy elements, a muted green shade brings an edgy feel to the colour palette.
Allgayer also played with transparency, texture and reflection, with materials including granite and glass.
The basement is a carpeted space with a dressing-room feel”I was trying to find materials that reflect the brand’s values,” said Allgayer.
“The space needs to be neutral because the collection is going to change season to season. But neutrals for me are not necessarily about being grey.”
The design plays with transparency, texture and reflectionRotate opened its doors for the first time on 5 August, coinciding with the start of Copenhagen Fashion Week.
It is an important milestone for the fast-growing label, described by Vogue as “a go-to partywear brand”. The ambition is for Rotate to become a major Scandinavian export, following in the footsteps of Ganni.
“Rotate is a brand with a beating heart and unique DNA,” said Madsen and Validmars, who serve as the label’s creative directors.
The store is located on Kristen Bernikows Gade in Copenhagen”We have had a strong sense of the world that our brand has existed in for so many years, that the opening of the store is an organic progression,” the duo continued.
“We are thrilled to host our loyal community, and offer a space where they can feel at home, engaged and excited in our hometown of Copenhagen.”
The photography is courtesy of Rotate.
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Chinese studio Say Architects has designed a concept store for fashion brand Nice Rice in the seaside resort of Aranya, featuring bright-orange tiles and furniture intended to evoke the colour of a sunset.
Having previously designed stores for Nice Rice in Shenzhen, Chengdu and Shanghai, Say Architects conceived the interior as a response to the store’s setting near the port city of Qinhuangdao, also known as the Aranya Gold Coast.
Say Architects has designed a concept store for Nice Rice in Aranya”Due to the individuality of the site and the splendid geolocation, we hope to bring the orange sea of Aranya inside and build a gold coast that never ends by using light as expression, creating undulating volumes, intertwining lights and shadows,” the architects said.
The 290-square-metre store is arranged over three floors, with retail spaces on the lower two storeys and a roof terrace accessible from the top floor.
Glossy orange tiles reflect light onto white walls, creating a “golden afterglow” effectThe building’s minimalist facade features an illuminated sign with the company’s logotype over the entrance and a horizontal window above.
A glazed entrance provides a view into the store, where bright orange surfaces create a vibrant contrast with the shop’s monochrome exterior.
The glossy orange tiles reflect light onto the white walls, creating an effect that the architects describe as a “golden afterglow”.
A leather bench provides a minimalist seating area on the first floorInside, a full-height void connects the shop’s three floors, with a vaulted ceiling directing light from a window on the top floor down to the levels below.
Say Architects designed each floor with a symmetrical layout that enhances the calm and serene atmosphere within the store.
Clothes rails in the Nice Rice store are designed to resemble breaking wavesOn the ground floor, a pair of freestanding units are used for serving customers, while changing rooms are positioned on either side of a second entrance to the rear of the space.
Clothes rails on both sides of the room are designed to resemble breaking waves, curving outwards from the wall to create space for hanging clothes underneath.
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On the first floor, a geometric leather bench provides a seating area, while a simple display podium is located close to the transparent balustrade overlooking the triple-height void.
Throughout the store, windows of varying sizes create a play of light and shadow on the internal surfaces that changes throughout the day.
A full-height void connects the three floorsStaircases on both sides of the building ascend to a roof terrace that is floored with the same tiles used inside the store.
A sheltered area with matching orange benches allows this space to be used in all weather.
The building’s staircases lead to an outdoor roof terraceSay Architects is based in Hangzhou and is led by architects Yan Zhang and Jianan Shan.
The studio works across architecture, interior and landscape design, with previous projects including an accessories store formed almost entirely of translucent resin and a grooming salon for pets featuring a sunken cafe and a paddling pool.
The terrace is finished in the same tiles as the interiorAranya is built on the site of a failed real estate development and aims to provide a haven for overworked young urbanites seeking a coastal escape.
The exclusive gated community contains several architecture projects that have helped elevate its profile including an art centre designed by Neri&Hu, a monolithic concrete concert hall and a chapel raised above the beach on stilts.
The photography is by Wen Studio.
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