STUDIO ACT OF KINDNESS TRANSFORMED AN OLD HOUSE IN SOI SUKHUMVIT 49/1 INTO A UNIQUE FASHION ITEM SHOP THAT HAS A BOLD AND VISUALLY STRIKING DESIGN WHILE REMINISCENCES OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSE
TEXT: PRATCHAYAPOL LERTWICHA
PHOTO: SHOP BOLD AND ARTIT WONGPRADU
(For Thai, press here)
Located on the corner of Soi Sukhumvit 49/1 street, the sassiness of Bold Concept Store can be spotted even from a distance. The vivid pop of red that bathes the building’s exterior makes the place stand out from its neighbors, unapologetically and wonderfully so. While taking a closer look, the building reveals its stylish character with B-shaped perforated bricks, giving hints to the passerby that the Bold Concept Store is here!
Studio Act of Kindness are the minds behind the store whose design lives up to every bit of its name. Apart from the design, Charif Lona, design director and founder of Studio Act of Kindness, recalls the genesis of the project and his involvement since its inception when the owner was scouting for the perfect location.
‘Originally, Bold Concept Store was operating via its online platform, putting together unique fashion items from up-and-coming European designers. After operating online for a while, the brand started planning to open their offline store to build credibility for its future international business deals. We provided them with consultation about how the shop should be designed and where the location should be.”
Rather than the decision to put itself inside a department store or shopping mall, Charif chose Soi Sukhumvit 49/1 street with the intention for Bold to be a cool addition to the area. It is an upbeat neighborhood that is home to hip and trendy restaurants and cafes, making the area an urban destination where the Bangkok urbanites can spend their days. The designer renovated an old house located on the side of the street to be the brand’s first physical store. “When it’s an offline shop, we went with the space that has the scale of a house because it slows people’s pace down a bit, making them want to spend more time inside the shop.”
When inside, one would be greeted with the visually striking space that reflects the brand’s identity while preserving the old residence’s characteristics. The red infinity glass indicative of the brand’s identity filters the light and adds more dimensions to the original staircase of the house. The design also incorporates wooden patterns that gives off the mood and tone of an old house when presented alongside other materials of the interiors.
Bold ’s identity is reflected through the adaptation of the geometrical elements of the letters B O L D with the details of the floor, walls or ceiling. Apart from the forms and myriad materials, which fit bizarrely well together and make Bold ‘s distinctiveness even more discernible, the design creates a unique shopping experience that brings a sense of exploration and discovery. “Just by changing its display position, a bag can look and feel different.”
For the building’s exterior, the designer chooses to keep the original gable roof structure of the house but builds a triple layer boxy mass with each layer made up of a different material. Using plaster for the red brick color of the stucco finish of the second layer to the B-shaped perforated blocks of the third layer. Unmistakably, the building’s physical appearance is also reflective of Bold ’s brand personality from the signature red color, the B blocks to the arrangement of the bricks with sporadic openings that allow passerby to only get a glimpse of what’s inside, conveying the brand’s characteristic as a confident yet enigmatic lady that entices one to approach her and get a closer look. If you ever stop by or are around Soi Sukhumvit 49/1, be sure to find time to get to know more about this cheeky, vivacious lady and let us know what you think of her.