Architectural firm TackleBox has very creatively and intelligently transformed a meat storage facility, auto storage, & a floral shop in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan into the retail boutique of New York’s reputed fashion brand OWEN. The 1800 sq. feet store is designed and hand-built from floor to ceiling with 25,000 brown paper bags to replicate a honeycomb-like structure, that defines a warm, organic volume which sits within the existing industrial brick and concrete space.
As stated on TackleBox’s blog, “In response to the rich history of the space and through the juxtaposition of industrial elements with the handmade, we sought to create a place that is both familiar and timeless. All the products, including clothes, accessories and jewellery are displayed on quartz slab tables, blackened steel hang-bars and steel and glass vitrines whose linearity and crisp details sit in contrast to the delicate texture of the paper arch beyond.”
When we first came across the photographs, the first question that came to our mind was regarding the fire safety. The designers worked in collaboration with a fire safety consultant to discover a non-toxic flame retardant spray (specific to paper) that was used to treat the entire installation in order to achieve a Class A fire rating… AWESOME!!!!
Photo Credits: Juliana Sohn