AESOP’S NEW ATMOSPHERE IN THONGLOR, DESIGNED BY LOCAL ARCHITECT SHER MAKER, FEATURES UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS THAT HARMONIZE PERFECTLY WITH THE COMMUNITY
TEXT: KAWIN RONGKUNPIROM
PHOTO COURTESY OF AESOP
(For Thai, press here)
It’s become customary for global brands to blend in with the local culture when they want to communicate with local people. We often see various strategies, but the design of a store—whether architecture or interior decoration—seems to be a popular and effective communication strategy.
For Aesop, a global skincare brand from Australia, they previously had stores spread across various malls in Bangkok, aligning with local shopping habits. However, these locations limited the brand’s design flexibility, especially in creating an ‘atmosphere’ that is free from the constraints of congestion, haste, and noise, which is difficult to achieve in small, busy areas. This led to the opening of their first signature store in Thailand, located in the unique Thonglor area, which the brand sees as a distinctive community. The nature of this space allows them to fully deliver their intended customer experience.
Marianne Lardilleux, Head of Store Design, Aesop
“Architecturally, our design method is to connect to the context of the locale, weaving ourselves into its fabric in order to create something of merit without disrupting its integrity. We look at the area and try to retain and redeem existing façades, working with a relevant vocabulary to communicate our values within the design,” said Marianne Lardilleux, Head of Store Design at Aesop, in an interview with art4d about the brand’s store design direction.
The key variable in Aesop’s design equation is the local context. This means their signature stores worldwide always work with local architects. The brand provides the goals and essential work details, allowing local architects to interpret the concept in their own way.
The Thai local architect tasked with designing this signature store was Sher Maker from Chiang Mai. Their approach clearly conveys local essence and sustainability, aligning with Aesop’s vision.
“We define Aesop as a caring and sincere brand. Few beauty brands understand the ‘beauty of imperfection’ seen in architecture or design. The brand emphasizes sustainability and the relationship between the brand and collaborators,” said Patcharada Inplang, co-founder of Sher Maker. They received the task of designing the entire store space, including furniture and decorations, to reflect environmental care and sustainability.
Besides the initial task, the architects received main materials, such as wood from the same building’s previous project. Sher Maker often works intensively with materials, and in this project, they systematically managed the wood. They dismantled the wood, grouped it by size, cataloged it, and selected suitable pieces for use, using the wood honestly in its original form. For large wooden structures like pillars, they sourced appropriate leftover wood from Bang Ban District, Ayutthaya.
The warmth and friendliness of the wood extend to the community from the storefront, where the raised wooden platform serves as a comfortable seating area, reminiscent of traditional Thai houses. Inside, a prominent wooden counter showcases local joinery techniques. The decor on the counter uses local materials, like granite sinks and wooden box lids replacing metal ones. The right-side displays products neatly on wooden shelves, while the left side houses services and seating, leading to the highlight zone of this signature store.
Most of the old wood was used to create a space called ‘Sensorium,’ a fragrance product zone occupying about a quarter of the store. This area is enclosed by traditional Thai wall designs or ‘Fa-Lhai’ that can be slid to control light and air, creating a dim and private atmosphere, enhancing focus on scents. This element is one of the distinctive architectural components of traditional houses in Northern and Upper Central Thailand.
In the center of the Sensorium is a Kraba-Din, inspired by traditional fire pits in local architectures, used to display fragrances and brew tea, creating a calm and refined atmosphere.
The complex process of creating these walls led the architects to build a half-scale mock-up to help contractors understand the construction and ensure the walls could move, also helping the project owner visualize the design.
The collaboration between Aesop and Sher Maker resulted in a design balancing precision with imperfection, uniqueness with harmony, and warmth with calmness. Visitors can experience Aesop’s signature store daily from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with a special evening ambiance for an exclusive impression.