Shanghai – The new flagship store for Spanish shoe brand Camper is made from wood and brick, and replicates the traditional narrow alleyways of the Chinese metropolis.
The building, designed by local architects firm Neri&Hu, has a minimalist industrial aesthetic of an old warehouse. Inside, a brick and timber house appears to have been cut in half. Shoes are displayed inside and outside, with pairs hanging from the rafters like washing lines between flats.
‘The [design] recalls both the spatial qualities and the vibrant activities characteristic of life in a typical Shanghai alleyway,’ say the architects.
The building uses reclaimed wood from lane houses that still have the patina from years of painting and weather wear. The use of recycled industrial materials is reminiscent of our Heavy Industry design direction.