New York is a city of interior spaces, where the current architectural scene presents itself less in the form of spectacular new buildings than in an array of striking spatial designs – the outcome of the many conversions and refurbishment schemes in shops, bars, lofts and galleries. The Scandinavian-born architect Winka Dubbledam recently created a piece of spatial sculpture for a new hairdressing salon called Aida. Set in a neighbourhood of brick buildings, the large polygonal glass shop window catches the eye in the street outside. Customers enter a long, narrow space enclosed by a three-dimensional skin of plasterboard walls. Integrated into this envelope are all requisite installations such as lighting, loudspeakers, air conditioning and mirrors, as well as the ancillary spaces. At the rear of the premises is a planted courtyard with slate pavings and benches set between trees and Virginia creeper. The hairdressing salon is situated in Manhattan’s Upper East Side (209 East 76th Street).
The Shiseido cosmetic company’s new “store and spa”, which opened in December 2000, is located in one of the finest areas of the city (535 Madison Avenue). The interior was designed by the young New York architectural group ARO. Distinguished by the use of translucent fabrics, the store is in the form of an open landscape entirely in blue. The cosmetics are displayed in an atmosphere of noble restraint on glass tables, or on wall shelving behind diaphanous curtains. The curving lines of the textiles echo the extravagant forms of the flacons and carafes, thus stressing the brand image. At the rear of the shop, draped in fabrics and set off from the main area by curving walls, is a lounge area with cabins for the application of the cosmetics.
