Wow, Could this be an Alien Structure in our Marketplace?

Biophilic design hints “Alien” moss-covered installation at luxury bag store

“The form was designed to seem as though it is sprouting from the ground towards the ceiling – towards the sun – hence why we integrated the membrane lighting ceiling above it, just like how it would grow out of a beaker in a mad scientist’s lab towards natural light,” explained Spacemen founder Edward Tan.
“We envisioned an otherworldly concept akin to something out of a Hollywood sci-fi movie,”

Architects: Spacemen

Area: 180 m²

Year: 2022

Photographs:David Yeow Photography

Manufacturers: Feruni Ceramiche, Levo Art Stone, Levo Design & Construction, Marble Emporium, Ohsum Mossum, Suzuka Group Wall Finishings, Vasari Malaysia

Lead Architect: Edward Tan

In order to create a moss-covered tree-like installation that serves as the focal point of a flagship store for the upscale leather company Braun Büffel in Malaysia, Creative Studio Spacemen turned to biophilic design concepts. Spacemen, a Shanghai-based firm, described the store as a hybrid of an art gallery and a laboratory. The company’s goal was to develop an interior that would appeal to a younger demographic and function as “an abstract oasis” at the IOI Mall in Putrajaya. The focal point of this design is a large, organic-shaped sculpture in the center of the store that is suspended from a lighted disc and covered in preserved flat moss, ball moss, and lichen.

To finish the arrangement, a circular table covered in the same plants was placed right underneath. Additionally, it serves as a platform for the leather bags made by Braun Büffel, which are sparsely arranged throughout the store like artifacts from museums. The sculpture draws concept from biophilic design, an idea that promotes a stronger bond between people and the natural world while designing indoor environments. Tan claimed that in an effort to subvert the muted hues and forms typically connected with luxury, Spacemen used a “maximal minimalism” approach while designing the store interiors.

The shop’s dazzling white terrazzo floors and lime plaster walls are broken up by a variety of elaborate display units and shelves that are enlarged by floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Luxurious slabs of swirling orange onyx and jade marble, some with glass vitrines on top that display tiny leather products, are used to make this cabinetry.

At the rear of the store, Spacemen installed a green onyx feature wall that is behind furniture like an oak armchair and a custom curved bench made of the same material. Tan explained why the Braun Büffel store decided to use biophilic design, saying, “I think with the pandemic, people have taken to appreciating nature a lot more than before.”

“This is especially true for people living in big cities where they live in apartments and are confined to office cubicles all the time, and do not have access to nature and greenery as much as they should.”