OPENSYSTEMS lands its first project in China as a collaboration with NN, a fashion retailer in Xintiandi Style, Shanghai.
Founded by young entrepreneur Mr. Alexander Chu, NN opened its first store in Shanghai in 2010 and it soon became the reference point for a niche and in the know clientele. The boutique boasts over 300 square meters of researched and innovative ideas. Following the success of the stores and his passion for fashion design, Mr.Chu awards scholarships to young Chinese designers to study in some of the most renowned schools in the UK such as Central St.Martin and Royal College of Fashion. In this context, our collaboration represents an exciting synergy of architecture and fashion design between China and the UK.
OPENSYSTEMS exclusively designed DICE, a sculptural installation to mark the entrance of the store. The piece takes inspiration from the contemporary flair of the fashion labels on display and it resembles the form a primitive crystalline formation: the prismatic dodecahedra that compose the artwork is inspired by the geometry that can can be found in natural crystals and rocks. We were fascinated by the periodic arrangement of the molecules of crystals and the beautiful structures they form when they orderly come together. This idea gave us the chance to work toward the definition of one singular component that could be repeated and assembled in multiple ways within the shop. Dice acts as sculptural installation and, at time, become furniture as well as display areas. 54 components were installed forming a multifaceted reflective landscape within the boutique. The installation reflects light from different angles crating a playful interaction between the customers and the shop. In particular, the entrance of NN boutique is marked by the presence of a large mirror: the artwork is set against this mirror which reflects the image of the installation creating a kaleidoscopic effect. These reflections, both of light and of the image, create beautifully unexpected moments which are going to enchant and attract customers.
