F+ Living Research Institute is located inside the Jiashijia Shopping Mall on Yishan Road in Shanghai, surrounded by many similar home decoration design brands. The brand hopes to use space design strategies to break away from consumers' inherent perceptions of the industry and create an art exhibition hall that blends personality and artistic style. Established in 2018, F+ Living Research Institute is a full-house customization brand that specializes in minimalist style. Following the brand's minimalist concept, we drew inspiration from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies by Louis I. Kahn to shape the space with restrained techniques and construct the spirit of the place through light.
The development of the Internet and the experience of the pandemic have greatly changed people's shopping and lifestyle habits, and have also put forward new era propositions for brand spaces. Unlike in the past, where products were simply displayed, today's brand showrooms focus more on showcasing the brand's temperament through space design, providing visitors with an immersive brand experience.
In addition, the order in which we perceive things is often from the outside in, which is why creating a space that piques people's curiosity is an important aspect of commercial exhibition hall design. We have broken away from the flat and straightforward spatial structure by placing a wall at the front of the space, reconstructing the spatial path, and increasing the space's playability. The even illumination of the up and down ends of the black walls on both sides creates a unique light and shadow texture.
At the bottom of the central bar counter, a linear light strip is embedded to outline a sturdy volume, creating a dynamic floating feeling. The top of the space features starry sky lights, a linear light strip at the central bar, and the rich wall illuminated by wash lights, all showcasing the essential elements of minimalist design: "point, line, and surface." The vertical space behind the wall is divided into two, and the central corridor connects six areas. The black walls of the corridor highlight the starry dots brought by the perforated aluminum plate on the ceiling. The linear lights imitate the water channel in the square of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, and the warm-colored lights extend in the dark space, breaking the silence of the entire space, adding a sense of depth and attracting people to explore the deeper parts of the space.
In addition, there are three hidden doors in the corridor that can be opened and closed according to different spatial needs, horizontally cutting the space. The first floor serves as the overall prelude to the space, the second and third floors are for product display and customer negotiations, and the fourth floor is for office areas. In the product display area, we break away from the scenario design of exhibition hall design and present more of the spatial charm that matches the product. The black horse installation in the corner of the space, like the F+ life research institute in the whole-house customization industry, breaks into our sight.
Across from the black horse is the minimalist island counter negotiation area, where a long table island counter with a standing height can accommodate multiple people for communication and negotiation. The wall behind the island counter is neatly arranged with hundreds of product samples, making it easy for guests to pick up and browse. At F+ Life Research Institute, we strive to use minimalist techniques in limited physical spaces, using light and wall dialogue to create a space atmosphere, endowing the space with infinite imagination, and presenting the minimalist and restrained brand concept.
Just as the F+ Life Research Institute understands the essence of home, "starting from the essence of home, customizing the home lifestyle," we believe that starting from the essence of the brand and blending the product and spatial atmosphere more softly is a more fitting presentation of the brand concept.
