Pas Normal Studios Opens its First Clubhouse in Taipei
Known for their Japandi style, Copenhagen-based design duo OEO Studio has seamlessly infused minimalism and warmth into Danish cycling brand Pas Normal Studios’ new Taipei clubhouse, which marks the brand’s very first flagship store in Asia
Renovating an unattractive space in Taipei's Minsheng Community in the Songshan District into a warm and welcoming space was not an easy task — especially when the designers were 9,000 kilometres away and in the midst of a global pandemic. But for Copenhagen-based design duo OEO Studio, communication and trust paid off when Pas Normal Studios (PNS) Taipei opened in April 2021.
‘Originally, the location housed a photo studio with only artificial lighting inside, and with a mezzanine storage section in front of the angled windows, says Anne-Marie Buemann, one half of OEO Studio. ‘It was a style mess.’ The designers’ solution was to first clean up the dark windows to allow as much natural light in as possible, followed by a simple coat of white paint on the facade. Inside, the 135-square-metre space was divided into retail, communal and cafe zones to become more like a clubhouse where cyclists can enjoy a coffee, beer or snack after a ride, and where they can catch up or watch a cycling race.
To achieve a homey feel, a warm and tactile yet crisp materials palette was chosen, contrasting with the highly technical and material-driven products on display. Furthermore, all design elements, from the communal tables to the coffee bar, were custom-made by local craftspeople.
‘We make spaces, designs and environments for people — so you should also feel that the store is made by people with a unique backstory, not just fitting into something commercially available with no connection to the context it sits in,’ says Thomas Lykke, the second half of OEO. ‘Whenever we design a new flagship location for PNS, we’ll be able to implement our design easily but always be slightly influenced by a local touch.’ With another nine PNS stores in the works, we’ll certainly be seeing more of OEO Studio's (re)cyclable concept.
Text / Yen Kien Hang
Images / Ray Ching
