Every week we highlight those submissions which have been frequented by our readers and jury, in the lead-up to the reveal of Interiors of the Month winners and honourable mentions. Here are the five most-viewed projects between 7 and 14 July 2023.
BANANAIN CONCEPT STORE HANGZHOU
Some Thoughts Spatial Design and Research Office
Bananain emphasizes the tension between the natural and technological in its Hangzhou concept store, designed by Some Thoughts (Single-Brand Store; 7.51). A strict grid has been employed for the ceiling, generating a sense of order across the store. While some interior elements follow suit, others begin to break up this rigidity, curving into the space and jutting out diagonally. What might initially appear to be an industrial aesthetic is quickly elevated through the use of polished marble, the result of which is a playful juxtaposition between raw materials and their manipulated forms – a phenomenon described by the designers as ‘process aesthetics.’
See more here.
HEYTEA BEIJING CHAOYANG DAYUECHENG STORE
Heytea Space Experience Center Design Team
Cultivating a sense of community and togetherness drives the design of Heytea’s store in Beijing (Multi-Brand Store; 6.52). The brand visualizes this idea by integrating multiple reflective spheres in the space, which reference celestial bodies and their gravitational pulls. Heytea uses the awkward and narrow shape of the floor plan to its advantage, integrating the bar into the store’s circulation, thus constantly keeping visitors exposed to the culinary artistry going into the making of their drinks. Smooth walls, projection lighting and reflective surfaces generate a contemporary atmosphere inside, introducing digital motifs to the physical space. Internal furniture pieces have been constructed in a modular fashion, allowing for their flexible use across the store as spatial conditions and requirements change throughout the day.
See more here.
WAREVALLEY OFFICE
Danaham
Danaham’s design of the Warevalley office in Seoul, South Korea, fosters a sense of community for employees through its playful use of colour (Colour; 7.44). Orange internal elements demarcate areas for socialization, with the designers describing this colour as one that blends ‘the intensity of red with the friendliness of yellow.’ A grand staircase vertically connects two social areas and allows coworkers to casually bump into each other. Yellow and blue – Warevalley’s logo colours – are used to define formal workspaces in the office, maintaining a healthy separation between leisure and work.
See more here.
ART GALLERY OF NSW SYDNEY MODERN BUILDING’S GALLERY SHOP
Akin Atelier
This gallery shop, housed within the Art Gallery of NSW’s new Sydney Modern building, rejects the commercial gift shop in favour of a more art-driven retail experience (Multi-Brand Store; 7.69). Walls delineate the rounded edges of the space, taking on a dual role as shelving for books. As the visitor skirts the shop’s perimeter, they begin to discern products veiled behind the peach-coloured, translucent resin. Light enters deep into the museum’s entrance pavilion, falling on these spatial interventions and causing them to refract light and softly glow. The bio-resin used was developed by surfboard designer Hayden Cox and is made up of 26 per cent biological matter, helping reduce the project’s embodied carbon.
See more here.
HEINEKEN FLAGSHIP STORE
Heineken Experience D&I/Ideal Projects
Located in its historic Amsterdam brewery, Heineken’s renovated flagship store offers customers an opportunity to connect with its history (Single-Brand Store; 7.33). The existing building was respected in the design approach, with original tiles maintained and copper kettles restored. Adding a contemporary twist, the designers chose to separate the kettles in two, sinking the lower one into the ground and covering it with glass. The ceiling is punctuated by 10,200 Heineken bottles, further contributing to the playful air established. Visitors are made protagonists in the space and encouraged to interact with various merchandise, allowing the global brand to develop a stronger sense of community in its hometown.
See more here.
