In-Shop

Location: Kivistö, Finland
Type: Commercial interior, commissioned project
Size: 300 m2
Design time: 2023
Status: construction completed

The project is an interior design project for an Asian food supermarket, and it is the first store of this brand located in a brand-new shopping mall in the Helsinki area of Finland. The store is positioned as a high-quality Asian market. In addition to selling a variety of Asian food, the store also has its own café and tea area, and service point of local Posti.

Based on analysis of the store location and circulation, the layout of the store is organized by rotating the direction of the back rooms as well as the shelves at an angle, so that store space and products in the store can be presented as much as possible when visitors approaching the store from a distance.

The design concept of the store is to create an “In shop” within the shopping mall. The tilted lighting installation with Tyvek material located above the cashier and service desk is a major element for the concept – an abstract expression of the sloping eaves found in traditional Asian architecture. The Tyvek 1073D non-woven material is attached to wooden frame, and covered by aluminum strips. The simplicity clean and the paper-like texture of the Tyvek material, together with careful and restrained design details interpretate the elegance of the Nordic and Asian at the same time, and adapt to the positioning of the store.

Rattan lamps are arranged along the main passage in the store, from the main entrance to the end area of the store, where the café and tea area are located. The important junctions and areas along the passage are enhanced by placing larger size lamps. Rattan lamps and Tyvek light installation are the two main design elements in the store. Besides the decorative purpose, they also respectively serve as guides for sightlines and pathways, and as markers for functional area identification. The café and tea area within the store is located close to the service counter and the windows facing the street. The back wall in the area is fully covered with 3 big fabrics hanging from the ceiling, with the 2-meter-high radiators hidden behind them. The Finnish-style furniture and decorations within this area harmonize with the overall style of the store, while also reminding people of the space where they are in.