AESOP THE STRAND
2007
A deliberately reductive interior, where porcelain forms a luminous field against an ornate setting—quietly receding, precisely made, and enduring in its performance.
Located within The Strand Arcade, opened in 1891, the project sits inside one of Sydney’s most intact and highly decorated historic interiors. Rich in ornament, material and detail, the arcade presents a dense and expressive architectural context.
The response is reductive. The interior is stripped back to a minimal palette, allowing the existing fabric to remain foreground.
The project begins with Sydney itself—its harbour, its light, and the tiled surfaces of the Sydney Opera House. White porcelain becomes the primary material: sinks, tiles and lighting elements form a cohesive, luminous field. Against this, moments of turquoise reference the colour of the harbour.
A CNC-routed shelving system underpins the fit-out. Developed in-house at a time when the technology was newly accessible, the structure is conceived as a series of interlocking components, precision-cut and assembled through a slotted connection detail. The system arrives in parts and is rapidly constructed on site, balancing complexity with efficiency.
Minimal, precise and quietly performative, the store recedes into its setting while establishing a distinct material identity. It remains intact, continuing to operate as intended.
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RETAIL
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COMPLETE
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GADIGAL | SYDNEY | NEW SOUTH WALES
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BUILDER | CBD CONTRACTING
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MARCH STUDIO