A.MANO Brooklyn is a new home decor shop and a hub for artists, Brooklyn residents, and retailers to collaborate and connect. In addition, A.MANO (handmade in Italian) is partnering with BKLYN CLAY, a ceramic school/workshop located next door.

INNOVATION
Stores are no longer merely spaces that hold and offer items for sale; they can be used to host events, concerts, exhibitions, talks, product launches, and almost anything else that comes to mind. They are places where you connect directly with your customers and engage for more than the average 54 seconds that people spend on a website. A.MANO was specifically designed with this concept in mind. Customers are also expecting a brand experience where each component seamlessly works with the others. For instance, A.MANO's customers can scan a QR code placed next to the items on sale and go online to see the artist's profile, maybe buy directly, check availability, or save the website on their phones for future browsing. A simple act connects the physical store with the website.

CREATIVITY
The store has three main rooms: the main gallery, a coffee shop, and a multi-functional gallery. The raw and minimalist look and the use of plywood in the design are inspired by Donald Judd; the terrazzo floor by the 80s MEMPHIS graphics (Sergio trained with Ettore Sottsass at the beginning of his career). The other rooms have a stained concrete floor in blue and terracotta colors, the latter evocative of the ceramic pieces sold. The brand's primary colors are Black, White, and Smoky Blue, all reflected in the floor and glazed bricks materials. They have strong character, with contrasting tones and a bold presence. The secondary colors are a lighter version of the shades used for the interior space, plus a light green tint. These colors evoke feelings of warmth, comfort, and nature.

FUNCTIONALITY
The main goal of the design was to create a progressive flow and allow for different experiences for the clients. The main gallery is where the products are displayed. The coffee area on the left has a more intimate feeling, featuring a terracotta/orange tone on the floor and the walls. Here the Mutina tiles remind us of a ceramic rug on the floor. The backroom is a relatively more neutral area where the store will periodically host events with artists and display vintage furniture.

SUSTAINABILITY
We designed the store with the concept of a Lego set, allowing all the fixtures to be disassembled without destroying the materials. No glue has been used to connect all the parts, only screws. Today's amount of construction waste is enormous, especially in commercial environments that only last a couple of years or a decade at most. We spent a significant amount of time designing a system to keep the bricks in place without using mortar. This wasn't easy because each brick is slightly different in shape and size, but we wanted to ensure each component would have a second life the day the store closed.