Maison du Verre
Design Studio: Phylosophy Design Studio
Principal Designers: Vasundhara Sampath & Nikita Sahney
Location: Hyderabad, India
Project Typology: Retail
Maison du Verre located in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad was designed by designers Nikita Sahney & Vasundhara Sampath from Phylosophy Design Studio with the intention of giving retail crockery venues a rejuvenating facelift. This flagship store designed for the Sadarangani family spreads over an area of 3,500 sq. ft, comprising of a ground & mezzanine floor, and was executed over the period of June to November 2018.
The name of the store is a French translation for the phrase ‘House of Glass’ & has been curated with the motive of bringing together the impeccable quality of glassware in the form of drink & barware, bakeware & dinnerware from premium French brands under one roof.
The project’s design was conceptualized keeping in mind the prevailing layout of glassware retail & display stores. Preexisting glassware retail stores are often characterized by tight & cramped spaces, making it hard for customers to select from & staff members to maintain. The proposed design of the store was hence structured around the pivotal concept of curating a space that had a free-flowing layout that enabled customers to view an array of products. The fluidic spatial configuration of the space employs open shelving units fitted with profile lights & mood settings like dining areas & coffee nooks to comprehensively display the products.
The client’s brief laid emphasis on two facets of the project. The former reiterated the tight timeline of the design’s finalization & execution. When the client was asked about the project deadlines, he wittily said “The store had to be ready yesterday!”. The latter facet focused on developing a space that intrinsically brought the plethora of products into focus at the venue.
The upscale neighborhood where the store is situated happens to be dotted with lifestyle, home décor & furnishing stores. The challenge at a macroscopic level was to create a one-stop destination that was alluring & one which exuded an inviting vibe. A seamless elevation comprising of glazed sections & a charcoal-hued façade system frames views of the expansive interiors. In terms of the design scheme, the store is an amalgamation of minimalistic & suave nuances in which soft hues, textural play & a capacious spread of spaces play the high notes.
The entrance lobby has been embellished with design elements that set the overall neoteric aura of the designed space. A double-height vertical garden adds a sense of vitality to the interior scheme. The statement staircase set against the stone patterned wall has been finished in wooden look vitrified tiles & exhibits a sleek presence as it connects the two levels. A metal grid in a dull copper interspersed with filament bulbs makes for a geometric ensemble that rests partly on a wall & is further suspended from the ceiling surface adding a complementary layer of aesthetic to the space. This ingenious custom light & design fixture highlights the grammar of the interiors & exterior alike. Concrete grey vitrified tiles, lighting channels & wooden accents weave the materiality of the venue’s interiors. The final proposal & related materials were finalized in a mere span of 15 days, wherein every piece of fixed & loose furniture was designed by the house of Phylosophy Design Studio & customized by the client’s Mumbai based vendor.
A synthesis of urbane design identity & a contemporary vision towards cohesive retail venue design, Maison du Verre makes for the quintessential destination for one’s wholistic glassware needs paired with a sumptuous dosage of à la mode design.
