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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. YUAN.Space in Shanghai, China by TowodesignNovember 6th, 2019 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Towodesign With consumption upgrade in China driving iteration of commercial scenes, Towodesign, a Chinese design studio which excels at reorganizing spaces in a balanced and coordinated manner, created a unique experiential store that fuses retro atmosphere and contemporary elements in downtown Shanghai. The project is situated on Nanjing West Road, Shanghai, adjacent to Jing’an Temple which boasts a history of more than a thousand years. The designers retained a large area of concrete floor in the original space, and added bespoke metal elements to the interior, with a view to striking a balance between roughness and exquisiteness.  Entrance, Image Courtesy © Towodesign
 Foyer, Image Courtesy © Towodesign With an area nearly 800 square meters, the overall space contains various beauty service areas for manicure, foot bath and spa, etc., and integrates functions for socializing, recreation and entertainment. Interior spaces with different themes and charm extend and interweave with each other flexibly, seeming to bring consumers into a “space-time tunnel”.  Foyer leisure area, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Foyer moon-like lamp, Image Courtesy © Towodesign Austere tone At the entrance area, the concrete backdrop wall, cement floor and metal reception desk together set an industrial tone. The round installation at the reception desk area and other round elements throughout the space echo the theme of the brand — “YUAN”, which means “round” in Chinese. Since the floor height is merely 2.7 meters, no decorations are added to the foyer’s ceiling, with exposed cement, pipes and wires producing austere visual impressions.  Product display area, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Reception desk, Image Courtesy © Towodesign Integration of inside and outside A leisure & bar area is set between the entrance and the cashier’s area, which functions as a transitional space for customers to enter major consumption spaces. Large French window brings urban landscape and daylight in, thereby narrowing the distance between people and nature. This area’s simplistic design style and attribute of sharing effectively weakens the feeling of strangeness, and dotted green plants also makes the space more intimate.  Backdrop wall, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Reception desk, Image Courtesy © Towodesign Smooth transition On the opposite side of the bar area are manicure area and pedicure area. Small pieces of white tiles extend from the floor to manicure desks, which guides customers’ sight line and route implicitly. The wall clad in white tiles constitute a bright and clean backdrop. Besides, the elevated terrazzo platform demarcates pedicure area and manicure area clearly, whilst ensuring visual interaction. White tiles and terrazzo, as classic retro elements, set the stage for a time travel in the space.  Partition, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Partition, Image Courtesy © Towodesign Fusion of the new and old Brass lines can be frequently seen within the space, from embedded product display shelves to the arched door openings along the corridor. The corridor features a curved circulation route and reflections by mirrors, which alleviates the oppressive feeling caused by the low ceiling and extends the space visually. The room of old Shanghai style is finished with deep-colored wood and square black & white tiles, with Klein blue velvet sofas, hand-cranked telephone and gramophone producing an immersive and nostalgic scene.  Foyer, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  A corner of leisure area in foyer, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Greenery partition, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Manicure area, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Manicure area, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Manicure area, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Manicure area, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Miniature landscape of the corridor, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Miniature landscape of the corridor, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Old-Shanghai-themed room, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Old-Shanghai-themed room, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  HE Mu (left), ZHANG Qian (right), Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Block rhythm diagram, Image Courtesy © Towodesign  Plan, Image Courtesy © Towodesign
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