Suggesting naturalness in a shopping center. This was the most difficult mission entrusted to the architecture studio AIA Estúdio, which was responsible for designing the Haight boutique in the heart of Leblon Shopping in Rio de Janeiro. On the one hand, Haigt, a minimalist, high-end swimwear house that draws its inspiration from landscapes and naturalness, and on the other, the conventions of shopping centers, with their cold, artificial materiality. An organic grammar was more than necessary. A central pillar, which could have been an insurmountable obstacle, finally set the tone. By organizing the space around this element, AIA Estúdio created an original space, evoking a natural cave with curved lines.
Around this same pillar, three stone slabs of different heights serve as exhibition and seating areas. Beige Bahia marble and soapstone were the materials chosen for the center of the shop. The soft, rough plaster covering the walls and ceiling gives unity to the space, which is lit by indirect light, again to suggest the dimness of the caves. An atmosphere that warms up the shop’s display units dressed in brushed brass, chosen for its solar aspect.
Brazil – Rio de Janeiro
Lisa Agostini
