Future-facing Retail: BELOWGROUND Hong Kong by Brinkworth.

Hong Kong shopping mall and the city’s luxury fashion destination LANDMARK has opened an innovative new retail concept dubbed BELOWGROUND. London-based design studio Brinkworth was brought on for the project, which represents the beginning of a new chapter in LANDMARK’s history, as it steps into the world of streetwear.

Spanning over 500 square metres, the space is located in the basement corner of LANDMARK, at the very heart of Central, the principal shopping district of Hong Kong. A fusion of a luxury shopping mall, a multi-brand store and a contemporary art gallery, BELOWGROUND is a unique and future-facing environment, where the boundaries between luxury, streetwear, art and culture dissipate.

Housing a continual rotation of brands, BELOWGROUND is built upon a modern notion of luxury and a multi-faceted idea of streetwear, which stretches from its origins in skateboarding and sportswear, to its contemporary expressions in the collections of historic fashion houses, heritage brands and new, experimental labels. A thriving cultural ecosystem of brands and creatives alike, BELOWGROUND offers a hybrid retail experience for the discerning luxury consumer, featuring a covetable curation of streetwear, trainers and accessories, established and emerging brands, and the latest, most-hyped drops.

Brinkworth were tasked not only to design the interiors for BELOWGROUND but to work on the brand identity. The studio invited London-based design and art direction practice, Caneva Nishimoto, to collaborate on this and, working together, they dissected the world of streetwear and developed a distinctive and international visual language for the space. The brand identity incorporates BELOWGROUND-branded shopping bags, tissue paper, hangtags and staff badges, as well as merchandise: T-shirts, caps, a limited-edition tote bag and an artist poster series.

BELOWGROUND’s design is strong but subtle, minimal but expressive. It unifies the space and possesses a sense of personality, without detracting from the personalities of the brands it houses. Ceramic tiles are employed throughout, along with blue poured concrete, dark blue and yellow carpet, textured render and plywood, along with retail furniture constructed from stainless steel, Foresso timber terrazzo and cork. In addition to a bold glass trainer wall, there are gentle nods to street culture, including bespoke light fittings featuring skateboard trucks. All of this comes together to form a cohesive environment which is light, fresh and distinctly contemporary.

The space itself can be totally transformed by brands, with minimal investment and intervention, thanks to the incorporation of bespoke flexible fittings and sliding screens. Additionally, BELOWGROUND houses spaces for art installations, as well as a recording studio fitted with fully functioning equipment – including custom speakers – to allow for podcasts, talks, DJs and music recordings. These features serve to further break down the barrier between retail and culture.

Related: Virgil Abloh’s Miami Off-White™ Flexible Flagship Store Designed with AMO.

[Images courtesy of Brinkworthmirr.]