The showroom, once a humble 70-year-old fabric store, has been reimagined into an intimate, fluid space, where every inch tells a story of transformation. Once bound by restrictive counters and unused corners, it now flows openly, allowing the visitor to wander through and immerse themselves in the textures of the fabrics.
Project Name: Vandana- ladies fabric showroom
Studio Name: W5 Architects
Project location: Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Area: 800 ft²
Completion date: September 2022
Construction team: Graffiti Infrastructure
Design team: Ar. Prakhar Ranjan & Team
Photo courtesy: Dhrupad Shukla
This rebirth honors the past yet gracefully introduces the contemporary, as the corner store room metamorphoses into a tunnel of premium fabrics—an experience, not just a space.
Here, subtlety speaks in volumes. The delicate detailing of glass chandeliers in a narrow reception alley turns a simple passage into an elegant selfie backdrop. The pastel peach shade, paired with deep green, establishes an identity that is feminine yet bold, making the showroom feel like a haven for the modern woman.
The interplay of soft curves and arches with mirrors reflects not just light but also the flow of fabric and time, drawing the visitor into a world where history and modernity coexist.
The ceiling, a hidden story of struggle, tells of the old building’s leaks and low height. Yet, with ingenuity, the undulating form becomes a visual rhythm, a ceiling that moves with grace while subtly hiding its utilitarian origins.
It is this careful orchestration of constraints into design opportunities that makes the showroom more than just a place to shop. The facade, a large glass window, merges with the door in an almost magical surprise, inviting the outside world in without breaking the delicate harmony of the space.
This boutique, though just 800 ft², feels vast in its spirit. The curves and arches, the poised bird artifacts, and the mirrors all play a part in this elegant choreography, where the visitor is both audience and performer in a seamless, delicate dance through fabric and form. This showroom is a quiet ode to the past, with an unmistakable eye towards the future—a fabric of time and space woven together with care.
