ACNE STUDIOS, NEW YORK

Horatio Street, West Village, New York, USA

Located in a former drycleaners and convenience store on the ground floor of a brick residential building in New York’s West Village. A challenging space for a store, in particular due to the low internal ceiling heights. Our challenge was to turn the potentially negative attributes of the building into an opportunity to create a dramatic exterior that improves the street scene, and a store that feels spacious.

In maximum contrast to the brick facade above, the Acne Studios store inserts a streamlined stainless-steel-framed shopfront which softly catches the headlamps of the passing cars on 8th Avenue.

Internally, the illuminated and the steel walls were designed and arranged so as to create soft, even, reflective light throughout the store which consequently feels luminous and airy.

In order not to lower the ceiling height, all lighting comes from wall-mounted light boxes with the air conditioning ducted behind them. From the material choices to the organisation, the design is a result of meticulous attention to detail.

This project is an exercise in fulfilling the character and ethos of the Acne brand identity. Providing a slick and cool space while retaining a feeling of comfort and reassurance for the customer.

This is our second store for Acne Studios following on from the new-build store we designed in Seoul, South Korea.

Photographs by Annabel Elston

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