Excerpt: The +55 Design Store, an architectural project by Studio Arthur Casas, emphasizes Brazilian identity through a minimal, tropical aesthetic. Featuring earthy tones, native greenery, and cobogós, the space serves as a neutral backdrop that highlights the furniture. Natural light, flexible layouts, and biophilic elements create an inviting environment where architecture subtly supports product display.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] The brazility, so determining for the identity of the brand +55 design, also defined the architecture of the store, designed by Arthur Casas and his team. To solidify this intention, cobogós in the façade, monochromatic earthly and green tones, as well as lush greenery composed by native Brazilian species highlight its tropicality and make the store an exhibition space. Therefore, with a neutral and minimalistic scenario, the objects and products gain protagonism. “The project was thought of searching for solutions to evidence the furniture, not the architecture”, explains Arthur.
To achieve such results, lighting is a great ally – the amorphous opening between ground floor and mezzanine and the glass roofing allow for abundant natural lighting, which brightens spaces and highlights the furniture’s materiality. The last floor of the store is completely open with no covering, only a retractable awning to further lighten the environments. The artificial lighting system was thought to simulate natural light in the interior of the store, with moving light spots – both focal and diffuse – creating contrasts between light and shadow and a cozy feeling.
The space’s flexible layout also allows for better object accommodation. The creation of orthogonal dividers, made of metal and suede, makes the scenery adequate for showcasing products in easily changeable compositions. “Overall, I like how the course happens, offering a surprising experience”, punctuates Arthur.
With the monochrome materiality in the walls, ceiling and flooring, the desired neutral character of the project is reinforced. The only color that deviates from the earthly color palette is the green on the façade, due to its part in the identity of the brand, creating a dialogue with the remarkable landscaping.
Finally, the store brings biophilic characteristics, with natural vegetation from the Mata Atlântica invading the environments – the landscape design is signed by Leandro Reis, from Lapa Garden – besides a lot of natural ventilation and transparency. This is achieved by the great permeable volume that englobes the store – composed by the Ípsilon cobogós, developed by Arthur Casas in pigmented concrete especially for this project.
Among the products, Max and Jet Set dining room chairs; Jet Set and Soft armchairs for living; Apache dining table, with Brazilian marble cover and Tauari wood base; Côncavo wooden sideboard and shelf with stainless steel doors molded; Mineral bench and side table, in concrete; Pan Am sofa, with crumpled-looking leather. “These are pieces that need a lot of development and I am happy that they are 100% produced in Brazil”, says Arthur.
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