The fit out concept for the 350sqm show room was a real challenge. We designed for Cork as being a function completely open to the public for the purpose of promoting and selling design pieces in furniture and home ware accessories from a select number of international design brands, Stockholm Design House, Muuto, Discipline…

The space of the shop has approximately 8m of street frontage and more than 25m of depth, which allowed us to generate a fluid skin acting as the ceiling of the space wrapping the main entrance and connecting the visitor to the deep end of the space culminating in a 5.5m high showroom space. Cork being a signature material for the leading displayed brand, was immediately adopted for this skin, especially that its sound absorbing quality as well as its humidity regulating capacity were ideal for such a function.

Very simple display systems, whether on walls or on loose tables, complement this showroom. The shop is topped by a small mezzanine used for managerial offices, concealed behind the wrapping cork skin. Two connected spaces, two identities, and two interdependent but separate functions.

Design: Batimat Architects / Mohamad M. Arayssi
Photography: Carlos Ghossoub