Located on the ground floor of the Emporium Shopping Centre, Magnation is a magazine shop which has broadened it’s range to include giftware and stationary.

This was a large shell with a multitude of ceiling impediments that could not be moved or altered. The budget was limited so these had to remain and the challenge was to stop this distracting from the produce and shopping experience.

The entire shell was sprayed black, a tried and tested method of disguise and we then went about creating new boundaries with economical light timber battening. The idea was to use the timber to define and reduce the scale of the interior, and then integrate this into the custom shelving along the walls. The resultant grid like formation is simple in its graphic shape and strong lines. Shelves were kept black to highlight the products.

The important frontage was designed to open the shop as much as possible. A centralised glass cabinet is for select displays and also houses the neon signage. Two large sliding panel doors move into the centre and close this cabinet off from the interior. This innovation allowed for a much wider opening to the public realm and encourages shoppers from both directions. The same timber battens as the interior are used here and bring a warmth and appearance not normally associated with the typical glassy frontage of its neighbours, and to ensure the continuance of the design through the whole space.

Completed: 2014
Location: Emporium , Melbourne Australia