and concrete panels prefabricated in order to enliven
a flattened cube with tactility.
The outer facade transitions
from aluminium coverage to a
combination of aluminium and glass,
accommodating the different levels of
lighting required in products-centred
areas and human-centred areas. The
visual effect of the facade therefore
reflects the nature of lingerie: coverage
and transparency.
The staircase in the lobby winds around
a veil of slender white columns set at
various inclinations screening off the
shop and museum. It also doubles as an
descending catwalk for models to reveal
a new collection of lingerie, emerging
from behind the veil to the audience in
the lobby. This sense of exploration and
mystery is frequently echoed in lighting,
walkways and voids with curves and
rounded quadrilateral patterns, which
were extracted abstractly from selections
of lace.
Future
While the county of Shunyi sees a growing
number of industrial architectures and
outlets, the Aimer Factory’s contemporary
aesthetic and functions allocation
are designed with the future in
mind: the possibility to use the
architecture for other purposes
and setting Aimer apart as a
leading national brand that
will be ready to compete
internationally. AD
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africandesignmagazine.com