THISS Studio was commissioned to design and install a new flagship store for The School of Life, a global organisation which aims to help people lead more fulfilled lives. The brief requested a welcoming and dignified retail environment which reflects the brand and its ambition, with the inclusion of bespoke design features to open up a traditional shop interior and build opportunities for customers to engage in conversations with each other.

Our concept involved organising the store into six areas to reflect the different themes of the products, which were displayed on bespoke powder coated metal and grey valchromat shelves around the room. We drew inspiration from the complex tapestries of Anni Albers to interweave these six areas and bring them together onto a central table that would serve as a starting place for conversations in the space.

We worked closely with specialist fabricators to build the project ourselves. Using CNC machining, the idea of threads running together was visualised by patterns scribed across the table’s oak surface. Creating a dynamic space, islands designed to display products objects were placed on islands that could be exchanged and passed between those positioned on the table.

CREDITS:
Contractor: AroBuild