Pure Joy

On the ground floor of a building in Philothea district stands “Pure Joy”, a wellness and beauty centre, about 100m2. The architectural indifference the building imposed upon the store made an intense intervention on Pure Joy’s design necessary in order to create an optical distraction. The store’s outer appearance was transformed by rough uniform glazing and coating beams and columns with natural materials such as wood and colored plaster. The internal space was designed upon a basic axis that separates the reception and waiting areas and the worktops from the ancillary and massage areas. This separating axis was materialized with low and high elements. Apart from its dividing and functional role, it also has various recesses that were carefully designed and lit to promote the store’s products. At the entrance, an old table made from oxidized, aged metal and patinated wood, decorated with vintage objects and furniture, is used to accompany hosts. Moreover, the various workbenches, lined with cement, yield a perfectly friendly environment. The massage area, which has an almost theatrical lighting and natural materials, also exudes a tranquil atmosphere. The overall look of the Pure Joy store can easily be described as inviting. The warm wood, ethnic elements, linen fabrics and matte surfaces – combined with the carefully selected furniture and designer objects – comprise a harmonious environment. The whole aspect of the design stands as a combination between “new” and “vintage” looks: a warm and relaxed environment in Athens, away from the city’s exhaustive rhythm.