Showroom

The new flagship showroom of Ukrainian brand Gunia Project occupies the ground floor of a late-19th-century building on a historic street near the Golden Gate – where old Kyiv once began. After three months of careful searching, the chosen space revealed both clear advantages and notable challenges. Its prime location in the heart of historic Kyiv and its well-proportioned size worked in its favor, while the lack of natural light and strict requirements imposed by the landlords posed significant constraints. For the building’s owners, the interior forms part of their family history, and they insisted on preserving key elements – classic wooden doors, wall panels, decorative ceiling details, and monumental mahogany cabinets.

The project for the new ÃO atelier and showroom at LAPI seeks to preserve the complex’s original characteristics: light and earthy tones, exposed brick, and metallic reinforcement structures. Between the atelier and the showroom, two planes of curtains made of light, translucent fabrics were arranged, which, while preserving the intimacy of the craft, allow visitors to glimpse traces of the ongoing activities. These structures also allow for different configurations according to the program and activities – such as launches, exhibitions, cocktails, and other events.

The site was originally home to the Xinguang Silk Weaving Factory. The renovated Building No. 5 has now been transformed into a versatile theater, seamlessly integrating Suzhou-style stage performances with medium-sized conferences. In architectural renovation, the common approaches typically fall into two categories: completely redesigning parts of the structure or preserving its original form as much as possible. Wutopia Lab seeks to break free from this binary and explore a new path. Inspired by the dramatic life of Tang Bohu, we go beyond merely preserving the historical depth of the old building—we breathe new artistic life into it.

Milbon is a Japanese hair cosmetic brand with a history spanning over 60 years, maintaining its reputation throughout this period. The brand places value on enabling people to live beautifully, emphasizing <authenticity, mental enrichment, and the diversity of life. Beyond providing high-quality products, Milbon also hosts hair-related lectures and contributes to the training of hair designers.

Since establishing a partnership with China’s leading premium EV automaker NIO by the scenic West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in 2017, SHL has successfully shaped several NIO Houses (NIO’s flagship store), including NIO’s international expansion in Oslo, followed by Shanghai HKRI Taikoo Hui, Berlin, Düsseldorf and Munich. SHL has yet again partnered with NIO to create a new milestone flagship, the NIO House | Hefei Xinqiao Industrial Park. A new circular pavilion merges the ‘front stage’ customer experience with the ‘backstage’ manufacturing process, providing NIO users and business partners with an immersive insight into the NIO way of life and its advanced manufacturing prowess.

Born as a contrast amidst the urban hustle and bustle, the project is located on one of the busiest avenues in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará. During our first visit to the land, we came across a Brazilwood tree, a witness of time, which we took as an initial premise, further valuing and enhancing its position.

Within an existing warehouse, an exhibition, work, and storage space was created for the fabric brand.