Fornarina – London

The Fornarina store on London’s fabled Carnaby Street takes shoppers on a voyage, using elements like a steel and metacrylic staircase to emphasize the mystery and anticipation of a journey. The store, one of a series of spaces by created for the luxury clothier and shoe chain by Giorgio Borruso Design (Marina del Rey, Calif.), won first place in the 2006 ISP/VM+SD International Store Design Competition for a specialty store with a sales area from 1500 to 3000 square feet.

The space is icy and blue – almost as if you’re traveling through a frozen cavern in the Antarctic. The few rays of color are the warm yellows and pinks from shoes dotted along a molded, liquid-like polycarbonate material that covers the entire space. It flows across the ceiling and down to the dressing rooms, creating protruding ice blocks for seats and product pedestals. Back-lit LEDs give the walls and ceiling a cool glow.

Connecting the two levels is a polished steel staircase surrounded with weaving acrylic slats. The stairs twist and echo the curves of the white cashwrap and furniture, silver hanging lights and asymmetrical mirrors.

Client: Fornarina, London

Design/Architect: Giorgio Borruso Design, Marina Del Rey, Calif. – Giorgio Borruso, principal designer; Elizabeth Chang, project coordinator

General Contractor: Studio 2000, London

Outside Design Consultant: Buzzoni Srl, Rovigo, Italy (general coordination)

Millwork/Furniture/Fixtures/Flooring: Buzzoni Srl, Rovigo, Italy

Photography: Benny Chan, Los Angeles