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    WGNB creates minimal monochrome SVRN store in Chicago

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    A variety of monolithic furniture pieces direct the flow of movement around this fashion boutique in Chicago, designed by South Korean studio WGNB.

    The space for lifestyle brand SVRN is intended to highlight the products for sale as artworks and ideas, rather than simply as garments.
    Benches balanced on irregularly shaped rocks also act as product displays in the store”Spatial design of the SVRN store began with our interpretation of the SVRN’s brand identity and narrative through the eastern perspective,” said WGNB.
    “While the western perspective looks at the object itself, the eastern perspective rather focuses on the surrounding relationship of the object.”
    Thin black railings are used for hanging garmentsThe 4,200-square-foot (390-square-metre) store on North Aberdeen Street, in the Fulton Market area, is split into two sections: the main sales floor and a back room, which are connected by a narrow corridor.

    A muted, monochrome selection of materials creates a serene atmosphere in both of the spaces, while the architectural elements dictate purposeful paths that connect them.
    Various architectural and furniture elements form pathways for shoppers to meanderBlack railings transverse the walls, puncturing curved and flat vertical partitions made from materials including concrete, steel and black-stained thermowood.
    Curved benches that act as both accessory displays and seating are balanced on large irregularly shaped stones.
    The walls and ceiling in the back room are lined with stainless steelTogether, all of these elements suggest multiple meandering routes for customers to trace through the store.
    In the back room, the curvature of the benches corresponds with a circular opening in the brushed stainless steel ceiling, while a round patch of carpet sits offset on the floor.
    A section dedicated to footwear features multiple shelving unitsHot-rolled steel continues across three walls, creating a sci-fi feel in certain areas of the room.
    Micro-cement plaster paints are used to contrast the metal, adding a rougher texture against the smooth surfaces.
    A monochrome colour scheme is applied throughout”Overall, usage of the materials are manifestations of the SVRN’s brand identity and narratives,” said WGNB.
    The fourth wall in the rear space is reserved for displaying shoes, which sit on shelves of unequal heights that are silhouetted against backlighting.

    WGNB designs all-black flagship store for fashion brand Juun.J

    “The spatial layout of the store considers the current that customer’s circulation creates in the space with the objects and openness,” said the studio.
    “And, the visual tension is created by the constantly changing eyesight of the customers while navigating the store.”
    A variety of smooth and textured surfaces create subtle contrasts across the boutiqueMinimalist fashion boutiques can be found worldwide, with many brands opting for a simple and pared-back interior to allow the products to shine.
    Recently completed examples include Snøhetta’s Holzweiler store in Copenhagen and a Jonathan Simkhai store in New York’s SoHo by Aruliden.
    The store was designed by WGNB, the Dezeen Awards Emerging Interiors Studio in 2021WGNB, which won the Dezeen Award for Emerging Interior Designer of the Year 2021, has also created monochromatic interiors for fashion brand Juun.J’s flagship store and a golf supply shop – both in Seoul.
    The photography is by Yongjoon Choi.
    Project credits:
    Construction/general contractor: Helios Construction Services

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      WGNB completes colourless interior for golf supply store PXG

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      South Korean spatial design studio WGNB has completed a flagship shop for golf brand PXG in Seoul, featuring an achromatic material palette and a graphite-covered wall that leaves smudges on visitors’ clothing.

      The store is located in Seoul’s Gangnam district and was designed by WGNB to reference the graphite used to produce PXG’s golf clubs.
      WGNB has designed PXG’s Seoul flagship store”Rather than merely applying the material to every plane, we studied the characteristics of graphite itself,” the studio told Dezeen.
      “It is lighter than it appears and is an allotrope of carbon, like diamond. The graphite embeds calmness and humbleness. And, most importantly, it smudges.”
      A graphite-covered wall greets visitors near the entranceWGNB interpreted these characteristics in the pared-back forms and materials chosen for the shop’s internal surfaces and display furniture.

      At the entrances, visitors are greeted by a sculpturally engineered graphite block and a wall covered with graphite squiggles that will transfer onto hands and clothing on contact.
      Volumes of slatted steel are suspended from the ceilingA series of orthogonal volumes are suspended from the ceiling throughout the store to define various areas within the open-plan space and incorporate suspended rails for hanging apparel.
      Made using powder-coated steel slats, the volumes help to create a sense of lightness and buoyancy within the interior that is further enhanced by the cantilevered display unit at the centre of the store.
      An abstract animation that ties in with the shop’s visual language is displayed on the store’s prominent media wall instead of commercial images.

      WGNB designs all-black flagship store for fashion brand Juun.J

      The project brief called for a black interior in keeping with PXG’s visual identity. Instead of creating a monochromatic black-and-white interior, WGNB developed an achromatic design using shades of black and grey.
      “While monochromatic materials are limited to similar tones and hues, an achromatic scheme dismisses colour altogether, leaving materiality only,” the studio said.
      “We used various achromatic materials with unique textures and materiality, believing that these would emphasise the idea of shedding light on the essence of the material.”
      An abstract graphic is displayed on the central media screenThe limited material palette includes a micro-cement finish that was applied to walls and floors. These textured surfaces are complemented by engineered wood flooring, which is also used on some of the walls.
      The staircase leading up the mezzanine is finished in marble and cold-rolled steel while upstairs, a grey carpet and upholstered furniture introduce softness to the space.
      Grey carpet and upholstered furniture bring softness to the mezzaninePXG approached WGNB to design its flagship store after seeing some of the studio’s previous projects, including the all-black shop it created for fashion brand Juun.J in Seoul.
      The spatial design studio was established in 2015 and named emerging interior design studio of the year at the 2021 Dezeen Awards, with the judges commending its “interesting and different approach to retail design”.
      The photography is by Yongjoon Choi.

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