The design concept for the new MCM flagship in Gangnam, Seoul, is inspired by the Bauhaus movement, which married experimentation in manufacturing with craftsmanship and traditional arts.

The store is conceived as a house that embodies the Bauhaus’ totality of artistic mediums – spanning industrial, graphic, furniture, interior design and architecture.
The Bauhaus ethos finds expression in flagship store’s new metal façade, the building reads as a curio box with curated window openings that rests on a heavy concrete base. The existing building was articulated as two separate facades and the main challenge was to create a new façade that would still respect the floor area ratio but be perceived as one building. Additional structural reinforcement was required to support the new façade which was straightened to bridge the gap between the irregular slab edge between the parking tower and the retail area to create a singular massing.

In response to the north facing condition of the façade, a bronze-colored metal was chosen to reflect as much natural light as possible on windows with 400mm depth, introducing relief and shadows. These large openings also help frame visual merchandise and the activities of the interior. Bronze metal mesh is veiled over the large openings and rests proud of the façade to give depth and textured layering. The brutal concrete base provides a street scape presence at the scale of the pedestrian and offers a dedicated show window for visual merchandise.

On the interior, graphic signage, lighting décor and carefully curated furniture selection brings MCM HAUS to life as a space for dwelling. The walls and floors are finished in raw concrete. Ceilings were left exposed and painted to maximize clear height. The simple exterior massing and form, exposed structural elements on the interior and use of raw concrete pays homage to functionalism and a return to material honesty.

Bronze accents and metalwork throughout offer contrast with the raw finishes to give warmth and luxury to the space. Millwork for all vitrines, shelving and display platforms were all custom designed and tailored to the functional requirements of the various types of products on display. The fitting rooms are lined with a corrugated, ribbed glass-fiber-reinforced-concrete with bronze metalwork supporting hooks, shelving and curtains.

The interior journey begins on the ground floor – spatially the most open floor with large windows looking out to the street and rear courtyard garden. Built-in wall millwork display handbags and backpacks, while floating VMD platforms showcase larger products and lastly, the smaller vitrines showcase the smaller leather goods and accessories. The visitor then continues up the large sculptural staircase spanning 3 levels with large platforms that double a stage for rotating visual merchandise displays.

Neri & Hu

The post MCM Flagship Seoul was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The project provides the proper setting for showcasing clothes and accessories by the company, by means of its spatial organization, which is dominated by a curved wall, as well as by its selection of materials, including glass, marble, and wood.

The returning idea of oscillation, both as movement and as weightlessness, bestows “life” upon the fabrics themselves.

A semi-transparent curved wall creates distinct spaces on its sides, organizing random vanishing points between them. Glass tubes, suspended from the ceiling, allow openness or privacy, according to the users’ needs and to the position of the onlooker.

The walls are undulating, while the glass partition and the marble entrance sign fold, providing a sense of plasticity, as a reference to the qualities of classical Greek architecture. Indirect lighting and the mirror in the background create an optical illusion, increasing openness.

Geometry, select materials, and the optical illusion, compose a space marked by fluidity.

En-Route Architecture

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The guiding principle behind the design of the new museum and experience store, is the balance between financial sustainability, environmental performance, and social responsibility. The architecture highlights and promotes the history and culture of Crete concerning natural cosmetics, essential oils, and herbs, incorporating the local craft tradition with contemporary, industrial production methods. Natural materials such as rough local stone, and oak wood veneer on furniture, were selected corresponding to the first category; metal sheets on the double pivoting entrance doors, museum display cases, canopy, and roof, as well as plexiglass on the display screens, correspond to the second. Positioning the store at the center of the layout allows immediate access from the entrance, leaving the museum undisturbed, and establishes clear visual connections to the museological path.

KAAF | Kitriniaris Associates Architecture Firm

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The proposal considers the product unit as a structural module, whose repetition generates architectural space. The vertical and horizontal surfaces resulting from spatial analysis were grouped in pairs of differing materiality and function. The metal mesh, designed to receive sunglasses, mirrors, and corporate logos, was produced by the multiplication of a module in the scale of a pair of glass frames, alluding to the archetypical bricklaying module in a running wall. Scattered existing drawers were assembled into a vertical storage and display unit, folding to create the floor. The reflective surface of the mirror, wrapping around the mezzanine, multiplies space; in combination with the linear reflective surface on the floor, this generates an endless multiplication of the grid. The façade, a double, illuminated screen of white and copper perforated metal in the shape of the grid, stands as preface to the interior. Lighting follows the same abstract principles, transforming existing surfaces into integrated lighting devices.

Mold Architects

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The flagship, consisting of two floors connected by a sculptural staircase as well as a new adjacent space that will house special events and pop-up displays, now occupies an area of about 265 square metres and has been conceived by David Chipperfield as a series of essential yet distinctive rooms connected through sumptuous arched doorways.

The recurring use of the arch inside the store celebrates the heritage of the brand, which was established in Bologna, famous in the world for its considerable porches. With its balanced combination of essential form and pure geometry, the arch, which also stands out in the architecture of the Furla Foundation’s palazzo, is also part of the new Furla logo that debuted in February.

Featuring intriguing tactile textures, the walls of the store are coated with raw earth obtained by mixing different natural clays. This rough plaster creates a charming contrast with the smooth, continuous surface of the floor covered with Italian traditional Pastellone finish.

Around the perimeter, arch-shaped modular structures hold anodized aluminium shelves, defining a minimal yet scenographic setting that offers a contemporary interpretation of Carlo Scarpa interiors.

The lightness of the perimeter displays is counterbalanced by the sculptural look of a series of central display elements and colourful marble that offer a contemporary interpretation of Angelo Mangiarotti furnishing. In addition, Furla President Giovanna Furlanetto decided to hang on a wall, behind a sculptural tree-shaped table, a particularly meaningful artwork. “Talentum Tolerare” is a neon realized in 2000 by American artist Joseph Kosuth for the Furla Art Award, which was considered Italy’s most prestigious prize for young artists. Through this sculpture, the brand pays homage to emerging talents, who find in the Furla Foundation an institution actively promoting contemporary culture in Italy.

David Chipperfield Architects

The post Furla Flagship Store was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The 110m² dried nuts store in the center of Larissa brings nature to center stage, through a critical selection of local and international elements. The organic shapes of natural forms and the spire, which is the company trademark, became the primal sources of design inspiration.

The spiral is fundamental to nature and symbolizes creation and growth. Curvilinear constructions emulate movement and provide a feeling of freedom. Natural materials such as timber and stone have been used for the construction and implementation of the project. As a result of the organic approach to interior design, the configuration components recreate a sense of physical coherence and satisfy functional requirements. A central element of the store is a holm oak tree that symbolizes life. Natural light evokes the feeling of being in nature. The choice of furniture and lights call attention to the shape of the spiral. Furthermore, spiral elements decorate the display cases and the storage area. Different species of indoor plants bring the freshness of the outdoors inside, adding to the store’s natural feeling. The colour palette picked for the walls and furniture is featured in shades of brown, green, white, and gold, communicating a sense of luxury. The result is an overall timeless architectural experience and a welcoming environment that makes people feel at home.

Marios Chadoulos Design Team

Alexandros Efthimiopoulos

The post Areland was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

Nanto, a small Italian town nestled among Berici Hills, is where Grassi Pietre has been based since 1850. The region has been famous for its unique quality stone, highly valued by the famous architect Palladio. Today, the legacy of Grassi Pietre’s family owned quarries not only is synonymous with Vicenza stone but it also encompasses numerous collaborations with renowned architects. This legacy was what inspired the well-known design studio Debiasi Sandri when asked by Grassi Pietre to design a new showroom.

The concept aims to express the company’s identity through an immersive space, where architects and clients can follow different paths in order to discover materials and techniques. ‘It is more than a showroom, it is also a project space’ say Daniel Debiasi and Federico Sandri. ‘We wanted to convert an old warehouse with a long history into a space made to inspire people who are truly interested in working with stone’.

The entrance, a sliding custom designed door made of reclaimed wooden planks with beautiful irregular linear grid-like patterns, serves as a meaningful connection between the newly built showroom and the company’s long-established experience. The patterns originate from an old stone cutting machine that to this day operates night and day in one of the warehouses. Continuing inside, three imposing geometrical volumes, all cladded with different types of stone and slightly elevated from the ground, give form to the 300 square metre space.

Grigio Argento stone was used throughout the first volume. Different heights are integrated in the architecture of the ceiling while the circular tub “Tetide” made out of a single block of Grigio Alpi stone together with a couple of eponymous freestanding washbasins take the centre stage. Just behind the impressive bathtub, the wall was designed using a series of short shelves coming out of the interstices.

The second and largest volume combines three different spaces that showcase a mixture of contrasting materials, from stone and marble to wood, glass and metal. These contrasts highlight the diverse uses of each material, generating at the same time a strong sense of balance across the different elements.

The third volume encompasses two workspace areas. Built from grey ‘Rullato’ stone and behind a glass facade, the first workspace area was created with client intimacy and smaller meetings in mind. The second area, significantly larger and equipped with a long meeting table, features a material library that allows architects and clients to select and compare different samples. Folding glass doors ensure privacy when needed, or, when completely opened, unite the space and its functions; the room can be converted into a platform facing a generously proportioned lounge, making it ideal for hosting presentations, or accommodating larger groups of people.

Through a four-meter-high multi layered wall, the designers added a sense of play with texture and lights to the lounge area. Originally created in 2016 for Grassi Pietre’s booth at Marmomacc in order to showcase a rich range of materials in a limited space, this sculptural wall called ‘Array’ represents an emblem of the company’s know-how. At the same time, it becomes the heart of the project, effortlessly integrated with the rest of the space.

Towards the exit, a pattern collection, envisioned by Debiasi Sandri, aims to inspire architects, designers and clients by bringing to light the versatility of each material as well as possible combinations of forms, colours and finishes. These patterned tiles are made from smaller reclaimed pieces of stone that are usually disregarded. In this way Debiasi and Sandri want to encourage a more sustainable use of stone.

Daniel Debiasi, Federico Sandri

Simone Fiorini

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