Chinese studio Neri&Hu has completed a store interior for Ms MIN in Shanghai, China, to showcase the fashion brand's diverse use of materials.
Located at the Taikoo Li shopping complex in central Shanghai, the 195-square-metre store was designed to evoke a sense of traditional home-based atelier that places materials and craftsmanship at its centre.
"Before the Industrial Revolution, textiles were made by hand in villages across China by individual families; carding, spinning and weaving all took place in farmhouses, indeed a loom could be found in every well-conditioned homestead," Neri&Hu explained.
"We harken back to the notion of a traditional fabric atelier, showcasing craftsmanship, rich materiality, and a domestic sensibility."
The space was divided into several zones by a series of floor-to-ceiling open grid wooden structures.
White fabric sheet was hung in between a wooden grid to serve as lightweight semi-transparent partitions situated on left and right side of the shop. These were designed to allow plenty of natural daylight into the store.
"Natural daylight and the chaos of the shopping mall are filtered by the sheer fabric screens, giving the space an overall sense of calmness," Neri&Hu said.
The same wooden structures with overhanging eaves to the right side of the shop form a series of more private rooms.
These are used as a reception at the front of the store along with a VIP lounge, VIP fitting room and studio area at the rear of the shop.
The central display area was arranged by a series of panels, either made with micro-cement or marble and framed in brass, which form an internal courtyard that can be used as an exhibition space.
These panels can be re-arranged and interchanged to suit the changing fashion trends in motifs every season.
The entire shop was paved with curved roof tiles stacked and inlaid, a traditional pavement commonly found in the region.
Neri&Hu also created custom mannequin figures for Ms MIN. According to the studio, the linen-made mannequins have a skin-like subtle texture.
Neri&Hu was founded by Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu in 2004 in Shanghai. Other recent interior projects completed by the studio include cafe brand Blue Bottle's latest shop and a flexible office space, both in Shanghai.
The photography is by Zhu Runzi.
Project credits:
Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana Hu
Associate-in-charge: Sanif Xu
Design team: Muyang Tang, Zhikang Wang, Amber Shi, Yoki Yu, Nicolas Fardet
Lighting: Viabizzuno (Shanghai)
Contractor: Shanghai Yali Design Decoration Co.