The Monthly Edit | June
This month we focus on something that is very dear to our hearts here in the studio - the latest and greatest ideas in retail interior design.
We have researched what’s hot in retail both locally and around the world, and have selected our favourite three concepts to show you.
The new hybrid: The Manzoni by Tom Dixon, Milan
Launched in Milan during Design Week in April, British designer Tom Dixon’s newest concept, The Manzoni, is a restaurant and bar that cleverly doubles as a showcase for his furniture and homewares collections. Inside, materiality is the hero — the dining area features granite, marble, recycled paper and cork creating what Dixon describes as a “minimal and monastic atmosphere… Why a restaurant?” asks the designer. “Because in a world where everyone has a very short attention span food is one of the few things that can really slow people down. It’s a space where people can test and see the products in action before they consider them for themselves… There’s nothing dustier than a conventional lighting and furniture showroom.”story.tomdixon.net
The Manzoni dining room. Image via tomdixon.net
The Manzoni bar and lounge. Image via tomdixon.net
The Manzoni Jungle room. Image via tomdixon.net
The Masterclass: Aesop, Brooklyn
Australian beauty brand Aesop is a world-leader when it comes to retail as inspirational theatre. The secret to the success of its emotively charged interiors lies partly in commissioning of-the-moment designers to create a unique aesthetic for each individual store that often reflects its geographic locale. Mexican architect Frida Escobedo is the mastermind behind Aesop’s latest boutique in Brooklyn, New York. Inspired by the neighbourhood’s heritage brownstone buildings the interior comprises clay red bricks made from rammed earth sourced from the architect’s native Oaxaca region in central Mexico. The simplicity of the design is deceptive — on closer inspection the bricks appear almost woven together, creating a rich, unique pattern specific to the site. A master class in less is more. aesop.com
Aesop boutique, Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York.
The interior of the new Aesop boutique in Brooklyn is made from red bricks inspired by the neighbourhood’s classic brownstone buildings.
Aesop boutique Brooklyn interior detail.
The Foodies Heaven: Eataly, Paris
It may not have hit Australia just yet but in many parts of the world Eataly, the Italian chain of high-end super delis, has garnered an almost cult-like following. The brainchild of Italian entrepreneur Oscar Farinetti, Eately is an artisanal Italian food hall on steroids — and a unique source for retail design and visual merchandising inspiration. Its latest opening in the Marais district of Paris features seven restaurants and cafes, an open-air market place, a mozzarella factory, butcher, bakery, gelateria and an expansive 1200 bottle strong wine cellar. A culinary and sensory overload indeed. eataly.com
Eataly, Paris. Image via eataly.com
Eataly, Paris. Image via eataly.com
. Eataly Paris. Image via azed.net