Why an 18th-century fortress played into the design of this futuristic Papyrus shop by Atelier Archi@mosphere
A mainstay in the Korean eyewear market for over 30 years, Papyrus has contributed a fair share of cool store interiors to the world. The retailer has worked with the likes of WGNB and Atelier Archi@mosphere to manifest their brand vision in spatial form. It is a collaboration with the latter – the sixth collaboration, to be specific – that resulted in a futuristic, candy-toned shop located in the OMA-designed Galleria Gwanggyo department store.
The interior design, spanning 82 m2, is based on the traditional stone-laying method seen at the nearby Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, one of South Korea’s UNESCO world heritage sites. Archi@mosphere emulated the building technique of the late-18th-century fortress, aiming to remind the community of the historical site in an abstract, contemporary way.
Throughout the past decade of working with Papyrus, the design team has developed a modular wall system unique to the brand. The system – incorporating product display zones, pop-up zones and storage – is present in each Archi@mosphere-designed shop, modified with respect to the specific context and creative angle. Here the designers intended to devise a soft, spacious environment, utilizing a palette of glowing pastel lights to customize the Tetris-like wall fixtures built with aluminium frames and acrylic.
There are areas for counselling, manufacturing and eye examinations, but the team avoided building walls or doors to ensure the open feel of the shop. Standing display cabinets take on the adaptable look of the wall system and round out the sleek, visually immersive space.
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