AIM Architecture takes cues from Chongqing underground network of factories and designed a beauty store located in the city, Harmay. Situated in a former shopping mall with its entrance set below street level, the store is inspired by the hundreds of bomb shelters found beneath Chongqing that were used to hide from Japanese air raids during World War Two and are now converted into shops, eateries and small-scale factories. To achieve a sheltered atmosphere, gypsum panels were used to form a dropped ceiling which conceals the service ducts as well as clad the facade.
The industrial-style elements such as the stainless steel conveyor belt and small grey crates, containing different beauty products, as well as the gridded steel shelves and stands – resembling generators and oversized machinery cogs – give the store a unique ambiance. Lastly, strip lights were hung from the ceiling and a skylight was installed to let shoppers look outdoors and further enhance the feeling of being underground. This branch of Harmay is shortlisted in the large retail interior category of the 2023 Dezeen Awards.
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