The neutral character of the central room gives way to a semicircular space hidden from view, of compressed scale and enveloping curves, which offers a more private environment dedicated to personalized advice on products for the skin, hair, body and home with the store's advisers.
Aesop Passeig de Gracia by Barozzi Vega. Photograph courtesy of Aesop.
Aesop Passeig de Gracia by Barozzi Vega. Photograph courtesy of Aesop.
Project description by Barozzi Veiga
The process of designing our store on Consell de Cent Street in Barcelona, in collaboration with Barozzi Veiga architects, began with stripping back the existing space to reveal its late nineteenth-century essence. The interior was characterised by its grand scale and narrow girth, with a trio of majestic columns supporting the soaring ceiling. From there, the new design stemmed from a meticulous architectural interpretation of the way our stores function, rationalising the floor plan into a choreography of salutation, exploration, and relaxation.
The store’s dramatic proportions are heralded by the façade—a slender, dark metal monolith flanked by tall neoclassical columns. Upon crossing the threshold, visitors are greeted with a rhythmic sequence defined by only a few elements, expressive and precise in their position. Providing a horizontal counterpoint to the monumental columns, a burnished steel counter hovers along one wall, disappearing into the depths of the room. Basins incorporated into this component offer visitors the opportunity to immerse their hands and invigorate their senses. The robust steel shelves on the opposite wall—just three and a half metres away—reinforce the linear language and organise the exhibition of our product range.
Tucked out of sight, everything shifts in a semicircular room of compressed scale and enveloping curves. In this sensual and intimate environment, with a generous seat and cloistered basins, customers can take a moment of repose or discuss the formulations best suited to their individual needs with the store’s trained consultants.
