Common Zhang Unfurls Behind a Hidden Staircase
Designed by Shanghai firm Offhand Practice, fashion brand Common Zhang’s store stands out in its mall location thanks to a unique spiral staircase hidden behind a stone facade
Located in a shopping mall in Guangzhou, this new store designed by Shanghai-based firm Offhand Practice for fashion brand Common Zhang stands out for its distinct stone facade and intriguing staircase. ‘The other stores are all identical to one another,’ says Yuan Yuan, one of the co-founders of Offhand Practice. ‘From the first time we visited the site, the brief was obvious: to design a retail store that is mysterious yet interesting and stands out from its surroundings.’
Facing the two main entrances of the mall, the 140-square-metre rectangular space has a giant load-bearing column at its centre, a feature that became the starting point for the design. ‘Initially we saw it as an obstacle, but we changed our perspective towards it and thought: why not make use of it?’ explains Nie Xuan, the studio’s other co-founder. ‘Taking advantage of the six-metre ceiling height, we fully exploited the giant structural column in the centre, turning it into a unique design element in the project, a core spiral staircase that connects the two main entrances and all the spaces together.’
Dark brick stairs go up to the core spiral staircase leading into the shop space, connecting the two entrances through a captivating, dynamic flow. ‘We deliberately chose materials that are commonly used for architecture, but rarely for interiors,’ Yuan explains. ‘We used green exposed aggregated stone for the facade to enhance its volume and black brick — the same kind of traditional Chinese brick used for the flooring in Beijing’s Forbidden City — for the core and the staircase.’
In the shop area, a row of pendant lamps designed by Notion Studio and Offhand Practice for lighting brand Fine lumens brings a sense of softness to the space, while visually connecting the two retail areas. Custom-made clothing display elements crafted from mirrored stainless steel have rounded corners that help balance proportions and add intriguing details.
With its unusual design, Common Zhang pushes the boundaries of mall store design, demonstrating how obstacles can be turned into powerful statements.
Text / Nina Milhaud
Images / Yanyun Hu
