HARMAY Store in Hong Kong by AIM Architecture

Continuing to explore the dynamics of online and offline shopping, Shanghai-based AIM Architecture have designed another store in Hong Kong for e-commerce beauty brand Harmay. As we wrote previously, prying millennial customers away from the convenience of their screens and into a real-life physical store can be a challenge, but one that Harmay and AIM have embraced.

“Consumers want convenience but crave experience. Online shopping will never lose its allure, but there’s a real challenge for brands to experiment with the dynamics of modern consumption,” says AIM.

Inspired by old-school chemists, the Hong Kong store stands out amongst bustling, chaotic streets jammed with shops, restaurants, and food stalls hawking their wares. The perforated steel façade, LED lighting and organized, austere interior invites shoppers inside for respite as much as retail action.

The layout takes lead from an apothecary, with orderly stainless steel drawers lining much of the wall space. Subtle signage leads guests to open the drawers, revealing various products inside and adding an element of surprise and discovery to the shopping experience.

The second floor is left stripped down to its uneven brick and stone shell, left rough and exposed. Mirrored stainless steel cabinets containing product are suspended from the ceiling, the reflective surfaces disguising their existence. An open staircase connects the two floors; helping to create an illusion of more space in Hong Kong’s notoriously cramped quarters.

A glass-walled stainless steel powder room features a curtain that leaves only feet exposed, creating a playful sense of privacy and a space to test and try the products. Harmay’s new store subverts the online shopping formula of decidedly clicking on what you want. Designed for the curious and engaged customer, the shopping experience is unexpectedly elevated, geared toward the casual passerby who stumbles across the unexpected.

See more projects by AIM Architecture on Yellowtrace here.