Architecture
2017–2018
The collaboration with Johanna Gullichsen began almost 10 years ago, when Poiat Studio wanted to use her fabrics in the upholstery of Lavitta chairs. This was a great success, and Johanna presented our chair at the Habitare fair in Helsinki and in Japan. The partnership gave both parties a good appreciation of the other’s operations and stylistic preferences.
When Johanna needed larger premises for her store, Poiat had a great opportunity to expand the collaboration to interior architecture. The assignment was exciting from the very beginning. Inspiration for the project design was easy to draw from Johanna’s strong and unique style, as well as from her design interests ranging from Paris to Tokyo. Based on the imagery evoked by these locations and cultures, we created a concept that combined Finnish influences and various international nuances.
One of the key goals in the design of the store was to emphasise the decorative nature of Gullichsen’s compelling and distinctive brand, as well as leaving room for the construction of product displays. The aim was therefore to make the presentation furnishings clear and to create a calm effect while also emphasising the materials. This would complement the customer’s appreciation of genuine natural materials and their tactile quality.
The customer also wanted to include references to Japanese architecture with its minimalist approach to structure. The material selected was birch, and the idea was that as it ages, it would conform beautifully to the timeless Artek furniture selected for the store. The designers did not want to lighten the birch surfaces, in contrast to the present-day preference.
