23 March 2015

Aesop, an Australian skincare brand founded by Dennis Paphitis, has recently opened its first European flagship store in the heart of Hamburg, to be precise in a historic building from the 19th century located in the ABC-Viertel district. The store has been designed by the Belgian firm Vincent Van Duysen Architects and occupies a lot of 112 square meters that includes a sales area positioned at the entrance and a room devoted to treatments for the face situated at the back. The use of natural materials and a neutral palette of colors were motivated by a desire not to alter the balance of the building, located in the historic center. The walls have been brought back to their original state and then finished with rough plaster, while the floors have been tiled in slate—a material that has also been used to make an imposing sink, located in the area set aside for the products, that recalls old fountains and acts as an elegant sculptural element. The shelving is made of untreated European oak and tarnished steel, while the linen drapes graze the floor, following the curved lines of the counter and separating the area for treatment from the sales department.