Amidst the sprawling narrative of the urban landscape, individual expressions often conceal intricate emotions. Shanghai, beyond its iconic structures and bustling districts, harbors an ever-evolving trendiness and vitality, continually enriching the city’s cultural tapestry and internal fabric.
Project Name: AVVENN
Design Firm: Time To Gather
Project Location: Xinle Road, Shanghai, China
Design Area: 126㎡
Design Time: 2023.01
Completion Time: 2024.01
Chief Designer: Xue Fei
Design Team: Chen Mengxin
Lighting Design: Artluci-Owen
Construction Company: Yi Zhu Deco
Photographer: Wu Jianquan
Established in Shanghai in 2021, AVVENN is a diverse designer brand adept at intertwining artistic aesthetics with avant-garde sensibilities in clothing design. Through a simplification approach, it communicates a self-consistent and comfortable essence. Returning to Shanghai, the brand’s new physical store becomes a conduit for brand storytelling. Titled “TIME TO GATHER,” it embodies the brand spirit of “Pioneer Harmony” across various dimensions—external appearance, interior ambiance, and intricate details.
01
Form
Pioneer Harmony
In terms of appearance, the architecture departs from conventional norms, redefining itself with an L-shaped design. Symmetrical entrances on either side boldly assert the brand’s stance on the inherent contradictions and coexistence, as well as the balance between sharpness and relaxation encapsulated in “Pioneer Harmony.”
“Pioneer” conveys uniqueness and differentiation. The use of natural stone as the primary material for the embedded structure establishes the spatial facade’s distinctiveness. Metal blocks intertwine from exterior to interior, enhancing visual volume, guiding foot traffic, and evoking a sense of ceremony upon entering. Hand-aged stone and metal plates soften the surface, infusing the space with natural warmth and narrative, enabling the brand’s “harmony” to resonate.
Conventional commercial design typically maximizes space utilization. Yet, true pioneering lies in the courage to lead and challenge norms. By allowing for a physical buffer at the entrance, the design creates an emotional transition zone. Light grey terrazzo leads visitors inward, delineating different settings.
Moving within, the folded edges of metal stools echo the lightweight texture of “pattern paper,” while the curved stone doorframe mimics the motion of “cutting.” The intricately woven structure of the door handle embodies the action of “threading” through a sewing machine. These subtle details embody a concrete exploration of the brand’s ethos.
02
Concept
The Scale of Creativity
The concept of “pattern paper,” derived from clothing design prototypes, symbolizes boundless creativity and precise measurement. Stepping inside feels akin to entering an unfinished clothing design sketch, where lines, forms, textures, and colors express creative visions.
Continuing the facade’s structural motif, the interior features symmetrical arrangements. The arch-shaped ceiling, with its orderly slab structures, evokes the freedom of cutting and the lightness of pattern paper. Grooves surrounding the metal structure simulate fixed pin connections found in garment-making, with smooth lines reminiscent of a craftsman’s precision. Light filtering through emphasizes the form, accentuating the “pattern paper” concept.
Texture embodies a space’s emotion. A vast white expanse fosters imagination, liberated from regular constraints. Hand-carved wormhole stone walls evoke subtle emotions, resembling strokes of nature. Each clothing piece, akin to an independent artwork, invites contemplation.
Aged stainless steel, naturally mottled artistic paint, and beige stone sections introduce poetic details through material contrast, balancing ruggedness and delicacy. Metal text and lines embedded in the floor echo the brand’s textural attributes.
03
Interpretation
Freedom of Expression
From “pattern paper” to clothing display, the design narrative metaphorically represents space’s diversity and potential. The central area, inspired by sewing machine interweaving, features a hanging system accommodating adjustments for seasonal collections.
AVVENN seeks to cultivate an ageless, borderless community integrating diverse cultures into lifestyle. The adjustable hanging system, when raised to its highest point, transforms the space into a multifunctional social arena. Here, the brand’s creative ideas foster encounters with like-minded individuals.
The brand’s interpretation extends to small, exquisite details. The wall-mounted clothing system artistically reenacts threading a needle, while fitting mirrors offer comprehensive clothing display perspectives. Female-led, the space softens with wrapped metal pillars, symbolizing feminine strength and balance.
04
Relaxation
A State of Ease
Advancing through the space, the back area embraces relaxation. Irregular canvases adorned with lively metal lines echo “pattern paper” concepts. Original design sofas and side tables create a comfortable lounge atmosphere.
The cash desk, enclosed by natural stone, faces the front display for easy identification. The fitting room, a private area, showcases detail-oriented design, with evolved clothing hooks and carefully polished stone surfaces.
As the fitting room door closes, it takes on a flattened appearance akin to uncut pattern paper. This physical transformation metaphorically symbolizes the evolution of the consumer experience.
End
“Pioneer Harmony” embodies AVVENN’s core. Just as clothing expresses inner emotions and pursuits, the brand space transcends singular confines, constructing a spiritual realm filled with creativity and imagination. Colorful lighting modes cater to diverse brand operations, emphasizing design ceremony and craftsmanship.
