Lissoni Architecture creates New York showroom with “melting pot attitude”
CategoriesInterior Design

Lissoni Architecture creates New York showroom with “melting pot attitude”

Local studio Lissoni Architecture has expanded the Design Holding flagship in New York City, creating an entirely new floor outfitted with light displays and curving metallic installations.

Lissoni Architecture, the US branch of Italian studio Lissoni & Partners, created an entirely new second floor and redesigned a portion of the first floor for the Design Holding showroom, which displays furniture and lighting brands including B&B Italia, Flos, Louis Poulsen, Maxalto, Arclinea and Azucena.

New York building facadeNew York building facade
Lissoni Architecture has created an expansion for the Design Holding showroom in New York

Lighting and design elements from the brands were distributed across the second-floor space, spread out amongst vertical stone-clad panels, transparent, metal showcases, and curving chrome benches and walls.

Each area of the floor was dedicated to a specific brand and the interior architecture was tailored to each brand’s identity, according to the studio.

Red chair in showroomRed chair in showroom
The project encompasses a new second floor and an expansion and redesign of the first

“We wanted to share the melting pot attitude of New York City where everyone and everything can blend together holistically so we went to the essence of the iconic brands,” said Lissoni Architecture founder Piero Lissoni.

“[We highlighted] their DNA and proposed a common ground that could host and enhance the design codes of each identity.”

A wall of lights and windowsA wall of lights and windows
The studio created dedicated areas for brands including Flos and B&B Italia

For lighting brand Flos, the studio created a series of display cases backed by a transparent mesh. A magnetized, geometric Bilboquet light by designer Philippe Malouin is on display, as well as the Almendra chandelier affixed with almond-shaped flakes by Patricia Urquiola.

A testing room for clients was also created for the brand, which consists of a curved, metal wall that meets a series of angled panels that act as an entrance for the room.

Tables in a showroomTables in a showroom
The various displays were informed by the “melting pot” attitude of New York City

Another corner of the floor was dedicated to the display of the Skynest chandelier by Marcel Wanders, which resembles an inverted basket interlaced with cords of light.

Displays for Flos and Louis Poulsen consist of inserted panels and curving planting beds that are populated with a number of lighting fixtures from both brands.

A room with a curving metal wallA room with a curving metal wall
Metallic panels, warm wood, and dark cladding were used throughout the second-floor space

Dark, metal cladding used in the Flos displays contrasts the off-white and beiges used throughout the Louis Poulsen space, but both flank a B&B Italia lounge that sits at the centre of the floor, which features a bright-red chair from the Up series by Gaetano Pesce.

A B&B Italia wardrobe was also created for the showroom, which sits next to an Arclinea kitchen display.

A black ash finish was used to clad a large cabinet unit, which sits behind a Thea island topped with a quartz waterfall countertop.

Lighting by Louis Poulsen, including the Patera Oval pendant by designer Øivind Slaatt, was tucked into the furthest corner of the space, with pieces distributed amongst wooden tables and a low-lying display unit.

A show room with white furnitureA show room with white furniture
A separate entrance leads to a Maxalto space on the first floor

On the first floor, a new space dedicated to Maxalto is accessible through a separate entrance, with pieces such as the brand’s Arbiter sofa system positioned against walls clad in black.

Design Holding, a global retailer founded in 2018, recently added furniture brands Menu, By Lassen and Brdr Petersen to its portfolio after an agreement with Denmark-based company Designers Company.

Piero Lissoni announced the founding of the US branch of his studio last year, saying that the US has become more “open-minded” in terms of architecture.

The photography is courtesy Design Holding.

Reference

MRDK creates a “journey through nature” at Attitude boutique in Montreal
CategoriesInterior Design

MRDK creates a “journey through nature” at Attitude boutique in Montreal

Blocks of granite among planted beds are used to display plastic-free beauty products at this Montreal store, designed by local architecture firm MRDK.

MRDK, also known as Ménard Dworkind, designed the interiors of the Attitude boutique to reflect the sustainable focus of the cosmetics for sale.

Planted beds surrounded by raised ceramic floor
Planted beds are surrounded by a raised ceramic floor at the Attitude store

“From the moment you step inside, the design of the space reflects their commitment to sustainability and a connection to nature,” said the studio.

Located on Saint Denis Street in the Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhood, the 1,000-square-foot (93-square-metre) shop is laid out to evoke a “journey through nature” according to MRDK.

Sinks carved out of a granite block
A large granite block at the centre has two sinks carved into its top

Planted beds in the store window and around the space overspill with greenery, and a raised ceramic floor creates the impression of traversing a boardwalk between them.

“This subtle elevation change immediately transports you into a new space, a forest floor full of life and colour,” MRDK said.

Oak shelves display products
The brand’s plastic-free beauty products are display on oak shelves that emerge from the greenery

Chunks of granite are used as pedestals for displaying products in the window, while a much larger block in the centre has a pair of sinks carved into its flat top.

“The boulder-like shape and texture of the island suggest a natural element, as if it has been carved by the forces of nature over time,” said MRDK.

“This centerpiece perfectly complements the natural theme of the space, giving customers the sense of being in a nature surrounded by rock formations.”

The majority of Attitude’s products are presented on white oak shelves that emerge from the plant beds on both sides of the store.

Granite plinth surrounded by plants
The raised floor is designed to create a boardwalk between the planted beds

Suspended on white poles and backed by fritted glass, these shelves match the rectangular cashier’s desk at the back, into which the brand’s name is hewn.

There’s also a refill station that customers can use to replenish the aluminium bottles, further promoting sustainability.

Attitude storefront on Saint Denis Street
Smaller blocks of granite are used as plinths to showcase the products in the storefront

MRDK was founded by partners Guillaume Ménard and David Dworkind in 2010, and has completed a wide variety of projects in and around Montreal.

These include a 1970s-themes pizza restaurant, a colossal Chinese brasserie and a wine bar that takes cues from bottle labels, as well as a renovated 1980s home and a cedar-clad hideaway.

The photography is by David Dworkind.


Project credits:

Architecture: MRDK
Team: David Dworkind, Benjamin Lavoie Laroche
Contractor: Groupe STLC



Reference