Status: Completed 2019

Self-Portrait / Beijing, China

Client: Self-Portrait

Type: Retail


The first Self-Portrait flagship in China reimagines and reinterprets the brand's architectural DNA originally conceived by Casper Mueller Kneer Architects. The store design focuses on surface detail and tactility, comprising the signature terrazzo floor with pink and white marble insets, an open grid ceiling that creates a continuous horizon and walls coated with grey Cornish mineral clay.

Intimate spaces flow into each other, producing zones with different spatial and material qualities. Custom furniture pieces include a bench where the seats are balancing on two continuously curved pieces of wood.

The fusing of art and architectural elements elevates the retail experience. A curved glass corner provides a space for the brand to showcase up-and-coming artistic talents from China, fostering a dialogue with the local culture and community.

Outside, the exterior is covered in mineral panels of various sizes. In contradistinction to the hard and highly engineered materials usually found in urban spaces, the matte, softly textured, and hand-carved exterior offers a gentler palette. The result is an unconventional retail presence that stands out with its uncanny yet understated characteristics.