Swedish retailer Acne Studios has recently opened its Seoul flagship. The store's structure is designed with impressive architectural details that its designer Sophie Hicks calls a "concrete monster."
The store's facade is a translucent light box that hides the building's concrete interior. Once inside, you notice that its shape resembles a massive concrete box that is actually detached from its translucent wall that acts as a shell for the structure. The entire structure is made from concrete and is covered in patterns of rough timber. The Seoul flagship's bare walls and lack of decor is done purposefully to allow visitors to focus on the brand's feature collections.
Throughout the day, natural light is slowly diffused into the space. When dark outside, the structures outer florescent shell illuminates the interior.
Translucent-Shelled Flagship Stores
Acne Studios' Seoul Flagship is Clad in Concrete
Trend Themes
1. Translucent-shelled Structures - Opportunity for designers and builders to create striking facades using translucent materials as outer shells for unconventional structures, breaking from traditional building forms.
2. Architectural Minimalism - Opportunity for businesses to advocate for an environment focused on showcasing experience or feature collections, rather than emphasizing decor.
3. Sustainable Design with Raw Materials - Opportunity for designers and builders to explore the use of raw materials that are locally sourced, to create buildings that merge form with function within a sustainable framework.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture - Opportunity for architects to showcase their talents by developing innovative designs for modern architectural structures that challenges the orthodox approach to designing buildings.
2. Construction - Opportunity for construction companies to specialize in creating new and innovative facades that could potentially revolutionize urban building design.
3. Retail - Opportunity for retailers to take inspiration from the minimalist approach utilized in Acne's Seoul flagship and embrace similar techniques to create spaces that emphasize their brand, rather than relying on traditional decoration.