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    Fabric arches divide Jonathan Simkhai store in SoHo by Aruliden

    Design agency Aruliden has created a retail space for fashion brand Jonathan Simkhai in New York City, translating cut-out shapes from its clothing into architectural partitions and furniture.

    For New York-based womenswear brand Jonathan Simkhai, Aruliden designed a temporary installation within the space on Mercer Street in SoHo – a prime shopping area in Lower Manhattan.
    A series of metal structures wrapped in translucent fabric divide the Jonathan Simkhai storeThe geometric shapes and signature cut-outs of the brand’s clothing were translated into a variety of spatial interventions and furniture pieces, creating a store in which the brand can present new collections and host events.
    “Translating Simkhai’s identity into a vision for a spatial environment required a clear and strategic idea that was not just shoppable, but also memorable and visually iconic,” said Aruliden’s senior director of industrial design Erik Kreider.
    “We wanted visitors to be fully immersed in this world, but at the end of the day it was also important that we celebrated and showcased the products the right way.”

    The fabric partitions are installed to fit around existing architectural elementsTowards the front of the building, a double-height space is painted entirely white and further brightened by the glass facade.
    This long, narrow room is divided by a series of tall structures, comprising translucent fabric stretched over metal frames.
    Mannequins flank a staircase that leads to the store’s lower levelFitted around existing architectural elements, the temporary walls wrapped in white, peach and pink fabric are punctured with archways that curve asymmetrically at the top, forming a passage from one end of the store to the other.
    Shoppers are led through the archways and down a flight of stairs, flanked by mannequins positioned on larger steps along one side.
    Units of a flexible display system are shaped similarly to the arched openings in the partitionsOn the lower level, where the ceiling height is considerably lower, podiums for displaying products and decorative accessories are shaped similarly to the archway cut-outs.
    At various sizes and heights, these beige-toned units form a flexible display system that can be moved around when needed.

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    “Clothing and products break the cadence of the fabric arches,” said Kreider.
    “Together with the graphic cutouts, this creates a natural flow to the back area where more products, seating and changing rooms are located,
    The archways, furniture and podiums are based on the cut-out shapes of Jonathan Simkhai’s clothingThroughout the store, garments are presented on identical sets of hangers along minimal white rails.
    The minimalist interior is also enlivened by simple floral displays, presented in a variety of crafted vases.
    The minimalist interior is enlivened with simple floral decorationsAruliden, which was founded in 2006 by Rinat Aruh and Johan Liden, is headquartered in New York City with offices in San Francisco and Amsterdam.
    The agency has several products shortlisted for this year’s Dezeen Awards, including the Whoop 4.0 fitness wearable and the Series One Desk 27 video-conferencing device. It has also designed a series of mirrored structures to be built in a forest in Ontario, Canada.
    The photography is by Sharon Radisch.

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    Crosby Studio and Zero10 launch fashion pop-up that lets people “try on” virtual clothes

    Design firm Crosby Studios has teamed up with augmented reality technology company Zero10 for a pop-up store in Manhattan that aims to provide a virtual retail experience.

    The pop-up, which is located in Manhattan’s SoHo neighbourhood, lets visitors digitally try on a selection of outfits in interiors designed by local studio Crosby Studios.
    Crosby Studio designed a store oriented around AR fashion technologyThe physical space of the pop-up was designed to complement the augmented reality (AR) experience and be a “physical entrance into the metaverse”, according to the team.
    “This is my first experience working with digital clothes and rather than try to blend the digital with the physical — to soften the virtual reality aspect of it if you will — I instead sought to celebrate the digital nature of the collection,” said Crosby studio founder Harry Nuriev.
    The interiors are covered with a pixelated designThe facade of the store features a classic pillared SoHo storefront painted over with grey-and-white checkers to suggest the integration of the physical and virtual.

    Visitors enter the space into a stark-white antechamber that leads into a hallway covered with a checkered fluorescent “pixel” pattern that features in many of Crosby Studios’ designs.
    The entrance hallway leads to a large lounge areaOn one side of this hallway is a bar area where the team provides boba tea to visitors.
    At the end of the hallway is a large lounge area with booths lining the walls, as well as plush stools and cocktail tables. The same pixelated pattern continues in almost every aspect of this room, and ceiling tiles have even been removed to suggest the pattern.
    The space is geared towards the digital fashion experienceFrom here, visitors can enter “changing rooms” equipped with QR codes that streamline the digital retail experience.
    A digital-only fashion collection featuring five different was also developed by Crosby Studios together with Zero10.
    The space has no physical clothingVisitors try the clothes on by downloading an app on their smartphones and then point the phone at themselves in the mirror to see how the clothes would look on them, or at another person to project the clothes onto them.
    The collection features a series of glossy, futuristic outfits that change size depending on the body type of the wearer.

    Crosby Studios designs virtual sofa upholstered with green Nike jackets

    The goal of the project was to make consumers more comfortable with digital fashion by integrating it with the familiar routine of visiting a physical storefront, according to the team.
    “Our project with Crosby Studios is a showcase of how the design and technology could co-exist in both physical and digital worlds that merge more and more,” said Zero10 CEO George Yashin.
    Changing rooms with QR codes allow visitors to “try on” the clothing”We wanted to create a new concept of pop-up space responding to retailers’ needs to attract a new generation of consumers but also evolving the format of pop-ups that are not about product display any longer,” said Yashin.
    Crosby Studios is based in New York City. Other of its design projects include a couch upholstered with Nike jackets and an apartment with industrial details and purple couches created for the founder.
    The images are courtesy of Crosby Studios.
    The pop-up is open to visit from 7 to 18 September in SoHo. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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    Bala's SoHo store by Ringo Studio features oversized fitness equipment

    Brooklyn-based Ringo Studio has created a pastel “playground” as the first retail space for fitness brand Bala in New York City, which includes scaled-up versions of its products.

    Founded by Natalie Holloway and Max Kislevitz, who appeared on reality TV show Shark Tank, Bala sells weights, bands and other fitness equipment in a range of candy colours.
    Bala’s New York City store includes giant versions of the brand’s fitness productsRingo Studio founder Madelynn Ringo, the former retail designer for cosmetics brand Glossier, cold-called the duo and asked them to keep her in mind when they opened their first physical retail space.
    So when the opportunity arose to take over a 1,300-square-foot (120-square-metre) space at 99 Spring Street in SoHo, Ringo was brought on to translate the brand’s aesthetic into interior design.
    A weighted ankle Bangle becomes a leather seat for customersThe products are typified by soft, rounded shapes, so these were replicated in features around the store.

    “The space invites visitors to work out amid scaled-up versions of Bala’s visually compelling products,” Ringo said. “These sculptural elements create nooks for testing, touching, and trying out in-person.”
    The entrance is via a black hoop that resembles Bala’s Power RingThe entrance to the store is under a black arch that resembles one of the brand’s signature products: The Power Ring.
    Beyond, a pale green counter displays a variety of weights in the same hue as its curved top. Further areas are also colour-matched with the items on show.
    Products are colour-coordinated with their display areas”Organised chromatically, distinct zones immerse visitors in the colour space of the band, heightening the sense of place and identification with the brand,” Ringo said.
    A giant 12-foot-tall version of the Bala Beam is propped up against a mirrored wall that is divided by vertical light strips.
    Mirrored walls allow customers to test out the products as if they were in a gymOn the opposite side, an oversized replica of a Bangle – used as ankle weight – swoops down from the ceiling to form a squishy leather seat.
    Through a pale blue arch is another space decorated entirely in pink, from the walls, ceiling and counter, to velvet fitting-room curtains and a furry carpet.

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    The space was fabricated by New York-based Konduit, which specialises in scenic design, curved surfaces and custom finishes.
    The team worked with Ringo Studio to match the distinct matte sheen and exact colours of the Bala products across the scaled-up design elements.
    At the back is an entirely pink room, hosting more products and fitting roomsOutside of retail hours, the store is also intended to host fitness programs that incorporate the various products.
    “It’s a Balacise playground to introduce customers to their innovative products and encourage them to test and experiment,” Ringo said.
    The back room is lined with a furry pink carpetPastels have been a popular choice of palette for stores and boutiques over the past few years, particularly in New York City.
    Brands like Everlane, The Arrivals, and of course, Glossier, all chose similarly soft shades for their shop interiors in the city.
    The photography is by Anna Morgowicz.

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    Concrete dominates INC Architecture & Design's offices in NYC

    The offices of INC Architecture & Design in New York City’s SoHo are filled with eclectic furniture and plants that contrast the primarily concrete interiors.

    INC, founded by architects Adam Rolston, Gabe Benroth and Drew Stuart, moved to a 1930s building on Varick Street after scaling up from its previous location on 19th Street.
    INC’s offices are located in a 1930s building on Varick StreetThe new space is dominated by concrete, which forms the walls, floors, ceilings, and nine mushroom columns that form square bays across the plan.
    “The space was peeled back to its essential architectural shell,” said the studio, which sandblasted the concrete to a raw finish.
    A grand marble-topped desk greets visitors upon arrivalMeanwhile, the flooring was polished to a soft sheen, to reflect the light pouring in from large windows along the west facade.

    Collaborative work areas are arranged along these windows. They range from a long communal table to informal lounges comprising an eclectic mix of vintage furniture.
    The studio stripped back the space to its concrete bones”The furnishings are decidedly residential in character and include antiques, custom upholstery, custom casegoods, custom raw silk rugs, polychrome raw leather, polished stainless steel, solid ash and polychrome marbles,” the team said.
    Upon entering the offices, a grand marble-topped desk supported on two polished-chrome cylinders is positioned in front of a dark green wall.
    Desks are lined up through the centre of the officeTo the right are conference rooms, divided by partition walls painted pale pink and lined with acoustic panels.
    A circular aperture provides a view from one meeting to a communal lounge on the other side.

    BIG moves New York office to bright space in Dumbo

    “Simple secondary architectural elements were developed to provide for the more private functional requirements of the studio, and to define spatial subdivisions which break down the space but that maintain the open studio format so critical to our way of working together,” INC said.
    Wooden desks are lined up in rows through the centre of the office, running from the collaborative areas to an expansive material bank on the opposite side.
    An expansive material bank is displayed towards the back of the spacePlants are used abundantly throughout the space, adding life and offering a contrast to the grey and brown tones.
    “Our space is filled with greenery, collected materials, prototypes, objects and details drawn from our projects, our wanderings and our passions,” said the INC team.
    Polished concrete floors reflect the light entering from large windowsOther offices of architecture firms in NYC include BIG’s bright space in Dumbo, while we rounded up 10 self-designed studios by architects and designers in a recent lookbook.
    The photography is by Eric Laignel.

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    The Malin is designed as a vibrant but homely New York co-working space

    The Malin is a design-led co-working space in Manhattan that blends contemporary colours and textures with original architectural elements that are “quintessential to the iconic Soho loft-style”.

    Located at 32 Mercer Street in New York City, the workspace’s interior design was led by Jordan Trinci-Lyne and Jean Morana, in collaboration with Fettle Design.
    The Malin was designed with homely touchesDescribed as having an “adaptable floor plan”, The Malin is made up of 38 individual desks as well as a library, three office spaces, three conference rooms, four booths reserved for video calls and various other meeting areas, including a barista kitchen.
    According to its designers, the co-working space intends to maintain the building’s traditional elements – such as existing columns, high ceilings and large windows – and combine them with vibrant colour and material palettes that are designed to reflect the creativity of its members.
    Colour and texture are blended with pared-back, original elements”Architecturally, we kept several things intact that are quintessential to the iconic Soho loft-style,” The Malin co-founder Ciaran McGuigan told Dezeen.

    “The space is very open, with tons of natural light that is filtered throughout. We also incorporated custom arched doorways in solid oak and glass, which are a nod to windows that are typical to buildings in the neighbourhood.”
    White walls and hardwood floors form the backdrop of the workspaceFamiliar white walls and hardwood floors form the backdrop of the workspace, which is dressed with more colourful accents such as low-slung bouclé seating arranged in vibrant clusters, as well as touches of Calico Wallpaper.
    McGuigan explained that each of The Malin’s areas was led by “the psychology of colour, designed to inspire our members’ best work”.
    Blue-on-blue tones were chosen for the solitary libraryCalming, blue-on-blue tones were chosen for the library, which was designed as a refuge for silent work, while the remaining areas favour a palette of bright, bold and saturated hues that stand out against their neutral backdrop.
    “Energy equals productivity and that’s a fundamental output we want the design to facilitate,” said McGuigan. “Elevated materials like mohair, leather, and rare marble were included as an aspirational touch to contrast the typical work-from-home experience.”

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    Individual desks framed by Eames Soft Pad office chairs are crafted from solid oak and are subtly separated from each other with recycled crystal dividers.
    Pared-back, diner-style pendant lights are suspended above plump, emerald green booth-like sofas, which make up an informal space for The Malin’s members to gather.
    Individual desks are separated by recycled crystal dividersA curated art collection decorates the walls, while design elements from brands such as Flos and Orior – another of McGuigan’s ventures – also feature in the space. Charging outlets are positioned close to every piece of custom furniture to create an accessible working environment.
    The team explained that The Malin was created to encourage its members to return to a public workplace in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, balancing quieter areas with those built for socialising within an eclectic interior design.
    “It has all the functionality of an office space, but with the comfort of a home,” said McGuigan.
    Pendant lights are suspended above plump seatingThe Malin opened in October 2021, joining a host of other colourful co-working spaces around the world. These include Note Design Studio’s Douglas House, an office building in London with contrasting bright hues; and Spatial – a Montreal mint green and burgundy co-working space by Ivy Studio that features a zinc reception desk with a rainbow-coloured finish.
    The photography is by Thomas Loof.

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    Baranowitz + Kronenberg creates charcoal interiors for Âme jewellery store

    Architecture studio Baranowitz + Kronenberg has enclosed the interiors of a lab-grown-diamond jewellery store in New York’s Soho district with charcoal-coloured steel walls. The narrow store for jewellery brand Âme on Spring Street was designed by Israeli practice Baranowitz + Kronenberg as a “sensory retail experience” informed by darkness, materiality, scent and sound. The walls of the monochromatic, dark […] More

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    Roman and Williams Guild New York boasts flower shop, boutique and French cafe La Mercerie

    Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch, the husband-and-wife team behind design firm Roman and Williams, have created a lofty two-storey emporium in Manhattan’s Soho district. Named Roman and Williams Guild New York, the 650-square-metre flagship houses an art studio, flower shop, gallery and boutique, and a restaurant called La Mercerie. “When we founded Roman and Williams […] More