Manolo Blahnik Athens - Boutique : Images + Information

Manolo Blahnik – Kolonaki, Athens, Greece 2008 Data Nature Associates Manolo Blahnik’s only wish when talking about his first boutique in the fashionable Kolonaki district of Athens was to be surrounded by giant columns. Data Nature Associates tailored the narrow, deep and very tall space into a playfully abstracted side passage, the pteroma, of a typical Greek temple plan. The full height light sandstone colonnades which draw you in from the outside and flank the internal space are juxtaposed against industrial blackened steel recesses, floors, ceilings and walls creating a strong visual and material contrast – alluding to the graphic control of light and shadow as seen in the topography of the temple. Whilst the front of the space is maintained as full height to exaggerate the mass of the columns the rear is divided by a ‘floating’ staircase and mezzanine. This dissection of the volume in combination with the magnetic display system – which uses a Greek key laser cut into the blackened steel recesses as a locator grid – provides the flexibility and variety in scale needed for the shoes to present themselves. The exaggerated forms of the furniture underscores the whimsical eccentricity of the space and provides bright visual punctuations alongside the shoes themselves. Manolo Blahnik Athens Mall store images / information from Data Nature Associates 290109 Data Nature Associates have also just opened shops in Dubai and Athens, with Jakarta due to open Jan 2009. All designs are different inspired by local craft and culture. Architect: Data Nature Associates