Living Room
The central design challenge was how to introduce a ‘Urban Living Room’ into a compact area of less than 100 square meters, while allowing Element’s lifestyle-oriented displays to take center stage. We extracted and abstracted basic, often-overlooked storage elements found in living rooms—transforming them into four independent display modules: Cabinet, Shelf, Counter, and Table.
@AoArchLab
@AoArchLab
The store is located in the Rockbund area, near the intersection of the Bund and Suzhou Creek—a site rich in historical architecture. The new buildings, planned and designed by architect David Chipperfield, draw upon the proportions and modular rhythms of the original structures, creating a harmonious blend of old and new.
In a similarly respectful and restrained manner, we designed the display elements to echo the rhythm of classic architecture. Each of the four modules—Cabinet, Shelf, Counter, and Table—is proportioned in segments of 600mm and 1800mm, echoing the tripartite vertical divisions of historical facades. The use of natural wood frames and embedded medium-density particle boards emphasizes the linear quality of the cabinetry, while also providing much-needed storage.
Despite the relatively large number of display units required, the overall formal control ensures a visual elegance and solemnity throughout the space.
@AoArchLab
@AoArchLab
Though the floor plan is roughly square, the space features numerous openings—doors and windows—along the perimeter. We reorganized the spatial flow and sense of enclosure by grouping the cabinetry into four L-shaped combinations of varying heights. Tall cabinets used for hanging clothing are placed against solid walls, while the lower Counters and Tables are arranged near the windows.
This layout creates a spatial rhythm that is both inwardly focused and outwardly layered. At the center, one of the L-shaped configurations forms a semi-enclosed display area—a scenographic interpretation of the "Living Room." As visitors move through the space, they encounter this central moment almost by surprise, evoking a quiet yet direct expression of the concept.
@AoArchLab
@AoArchLab
While the cabinetry adopts a classic formal language, the junctions between materials are articulated with precision. Instead of traditional dowels or mortise-and-tenon joints, we used a cross arrangement of two flat-head bolts at each T-junction in the wood frame. This solution ensures structural stability while preserving a clean and honest expression of form.
All hardware components—corner connectors, door handles, steel cables—are kept consistent in material and aligned with the visual language of the cabinetry, enhancing a sense of cohesion and integrity.
@AoArchLab
@AoArchLab
@AoArchLab
@AoArchLab
@AoArchLab
Project Location: Huangpu District, Shanghai, China
Project Type: Commercial/Retail
Building Area: 220 square meters
Interior (Architectural) Design: Aoshu Architecture
@AoArchLab