Le Sélect is an Ode to Natural Stone

Designed by ATMOSPHERE Architects, the ethereal interiors of Chengdu concept store Le Sélect’s new location are inspired by the tones, shapes and textures of a natural mine. Here studio founder Tommy Yu tells us more

Design Anthology: How did you first meet the client?

Tommy Yu: The client was looking for studios that designed local fashion retail spaces and reached out to us through a friend in the industry. Our ideas were compatible and that led to this collaboration.

What’s unique about the building and the location?

The 680-square-metre store is located in a lifestyle complex on Chengdu’s Tianfu Avenue, just next to Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman’s giant sculpture. The store itself enjoys open views of an outdoor atrium and high traffic from the surrounding area.

How did you approach the project — what design references did you try to incorporate into the space?

After in-depth conversations with the client and several rounds of internal discussions, we decided on a spatial concept inspired by the idea of a natural mine. We then studied the original layout of the space and the functional needs of the store and adapted the concept accordingly.

Please tell us a little about the material choices for the space.

We designed the project with a limited range of materials. The main retail area on the second floor is defined by several rows of rough-textured natural stone walls, which reflect the concept of the mine.

Connected to the second floor via a revolving staircase, the first floor coffee shop and gallery feature delicate painted walls that match the colour of the natural stone. 

Throughout the space, stainless steel and glass elements neutralise the roughness of the stone, creating an overall sense of simplicity and modern minimalism.

Do you have a favourite element or design detail in the interiors?

I like the stone walls on the second floor, which express the overall concept of the project and create natural partitions that evoke classic window displays. We also love the revolving staircase, which anchors the first floor with its beautiful soft shape.

Images / Chuan He