In June 2016 Lukstudio was commissioned by an eyewear company to design their pop-up pavilion, which was scheduled to open in just one month. The site is located on a busy plaza between Jiu Guang, an upmarket department store, and Jing’an Temple; an historic tourist attraction. The design challenges the usual typology of pop-up retail by creating an urban sculpture that plays with light and colour.

‘Urban Prisms’ is arranged to direct pedestrian flow and foster an open dialogue between the pavilion and the plaza. The structure is made from a grid of white scaffolding, which not only marks the extent of the area, but also supports a flat canopy to alleviate visitors from the extreme heat and rain in July. In contrast to the linear grid, the roof is punctured by three white prisms made from translucent polycarbonate panels. At nighttime, the entire pavilion glows like pieces of quartz.

Based on the brand’s colorful ‘Injection’ series, Lukstudio explores different ways to insert colour into the space. In the ‘experience chamber’, the triangulated interior is painted by filtered white light through a rotating dichroic umbrella at the top, and multiple dichroic cubes at the bottom. A subtle colour transition occurs within the tall, multi-faceted chamber, alongside shadows created by visitors’ movements. The ‘retail chamber’ features colourful sunglasses, as well as wall-mounted triangles of recycled lenses. Together they give visitors an on-going interplay between the products and their surroundings. The middle chamber offers a moment of pause for the public; a prismatic skylight is lined with neon-coloured acrylic and casts a warm glow to those resting on the white sloping bench below.

Pursuing a new ‘pop-up’ store typology in Shanghai, Lukstudio’s interactive pavilion offers more than just a retail experience. ‘Urban Prisms’ demonstrates how a commercial design can benefit from pedestrian flow and contribute to a better public space.

DETAILS

client: Mujosh
location: Jing An, Shanghai
net area: 100 sqm
scope: architecture, interior, installation
project period: June – July 2016
architect: Lukstudio
team: Christina Luk, Yiye Lin, Alba Beroiz Blazquez, Ray Ou, Leo Wang, Celia Mahon-Heap, Cai Jin Hong, Marcello Chiado Rana
lighting consultant: Studio Illumine
3D visualization: Milos Zivkovic
general contractor: Centroid Construction
video: Vision Rouge Shanghai
photography: Peter Dixie for LOTAN Architectural Photography
special thanks to Marta Calamai