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TIKUU·The Exploitation of the Works of Nature
By : Beijing Wuxiang Space Architecture Studio
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Interior Design
Categories : Commercial Space / Commercial Space ≤ 1,600 sq.ft. (≤ 150 sq.m.) : Silver Certification
As a rare metal, titanium scatters in the nature, which makes it hard to extract. In the meantime, it is regarded as one of the best building materials in modern times. Inspired by the encyclopedia The Exploitation of the Works of Nature, the design theme stands for the emergence and mission of new China chic, as well as the original aspiration and vision of TIKUU.
The design of the offline store of TIKUU is based on titanium and quarries. By creating a scenario-based immersive new retail experience, TIKUU is an integrated space that features retail, coffee, and a DIY area. The flagship store in Chongqing also reflects the temper of Chongqing as an international city.
Titanium: The Magic of Materials
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. A silver transition metal which is light, hard, sleek and anti-corrosive, it was named by Martin Heinrich Klaproth after the Titans of Greek mythology, and translated to Chinese according to its pronunciation.
In Sci-fi TV shows, old gods that represent nature and new gods that represent technology would start a war to fight for the admiration of human beings. Scattered in the nature with distinctive properties, titanium was thought to be one of the best materials in modern times which has been applied in aviation and space, construction, and medicine among many others. Here, the combination of technology and nature is interpretated through titanium.
Stage Play in the Space
The shop is located in an area with the highest traffic in Raffels City. Considering the hilly and varied typography of Chongqing and the new business demand, the designer intended to create an attractive scenario-based space that would put on a stage play of the story of titanium.
The Birth of Mine
When people come to a mine, it is assumed that there is precious titanium inside and they desire to prospect the mine for wonderful items. It echoes the original idea of the designer, who poses a practical question: how to prospect a mine for treasures?
The space was divided into several sections based on different functions, and provides an experience that imitates that of a mine. The building materials used range from rough rocks outside to the exaggerating metal inside, resembling the extracting process of titanium.
Suprematism and Large Axe-cut Strokes
To the Suprematist the visual phenomena of the objective world are, in themselves, meaningless; the significant thing is feeling, as such, quite apartfrom the environment in which it is called forth.
Under the lights, the sleek mugs displayed against the wall look like titanium in a mine. Designed with artistic beauty and business logic, the space takes advantage of the property of titanium to turn consumers into explorers, who are offered a chance to get away from cities and look into the old times for a spectacular experience.
The Universe inside the Mine
In a fast-changing world, rigid design is no longer able to meet the changing aesthetic needs of customers. The multi-media installations, arranged as if steles, invite visitors to a new experience of time and space.
The brand DNA of TIKUU that fuses technology and health is highlighted through time, space and scenes, which brings new possibilities to operational growth. The collision of avant-garde and remote antiquity adds to a historical perspective to the new retail of China Chic, allowing for a presentation of both roughness and high technology in a single space.
Collaboration
Interior Designer : Beijing Wuxiang Space Architecture Studio
