Dickensian surrealism for New Delhi apparel store
Photographer: Andre J. Fathome
New Delhi-based Studio Lotus has designed the Gaurav Gupta Flagship Store, which was to present a surrealist, deconstructed, futuristic and maze-like dreamscape for the well-known fashion designer.
The 4300 sq. ft. flagship store consists of a single-storey building lined by a private garden and delicate metal screens creating site enclosure. Inspired by the Dickensian townscape of ‘Great Expectations’ and the fantastical motifs of European folklore, the flagship store offers a layered and engaging spatial experience. The Siras tree that stood on the site before construction now stands on the outer periphery of the central court. A prismatic glass sheath in a mild steel frame wraps around the trunk, culminating at the ceiling like a skylight filling up the central space with natural light. The façade features neoclassical influences with arched doors and windows. Extensive plantation and creepers drape the building, protecting it from the road. Clear glass glazing on the opening frames the suspended mannequins within acting as prime street displays. Customized mild steel metal grille gates are aligned with these openings, and form the signature swan motif to facilitate brand recall.
A nondescript rectangular floorplate within a layered geometry of spaces has been created. An oblong central hall opens up at multiple points into the peripheral rooms of varying size and scale which house the different collections. The transition between labels and zones is enhanced by the specific visual expression of each space. These zones comprise bridal salon areas with changing rooms, the men’s collection rooms and a discussion area. The store is a visual interpretation of the larger-than-life and surrealistic nature of the designer’s work.
