FOG Architecture draws on traditional Quanzhou houses for MSLAN store in China

by Christina Yao

Chinese studio FOG Architecture has designed a flagship store for local fashion brand MSLAN in Quanzhou, China, creating a slow experience by adding a series of gardens.

Located next to Quanzhou Clock Tower, the corner unit on the ground floor was part of a former department store from the 1970s to 1980s.

MSLAN flagship by FOG Architecture — The flagship is located in Quanzhou's old district in China

The existing space had a long facade that spanned three structural bays, but a very shallow depth. The key design challenge of the project was that the busy street front, which suffers from loud traffic noise, opened directly into the space.

FOG Architecture responded by creating a series of gardens as buffers to help customers slow down when entering the store. The three bays naturally form three rooms inside the store, each accompanied by a small garden.

At the two entrances, located at either end of the store front, the space pulls back under eaves to create a garden at each side.

Wooden benches and potted plants were added to the landscape garden, allowing people to pause before heading into the store.

The entrance ceiling along the street was kept deliberately low – only slightly higher than the door frames – in another attempt to create a buffer between interiors and exteriors.

When customers enter the space through the front garden, they are forced to lower their heads to step inside, before a spacious retail area with high ceilings and warm light is revealed.

The middle room was designed as a courtyard within the store, where customers are encouraged to lounge and try out clothes.

Here, FOG Acrhitecture added a green garden, hoping to create a relaxed fitting area surrounded by nature.

"Together, the buffers peel away the pace of the street," FOG Architecture explained.

"As you move through the space, the boundary between inside and outside keeps shifting. The space feels open and porous, yet stays tied to the neighbourhood," it continued.

The use of materials in the store followed the same approach to slowness.

Materials and motifs from traditional Quanzhou houses were adopted into the flooring in the retail areas, creating a familiar and intimate feeling.

The wall panels were wrapped in a semi-translucent silicone membrane, adding a warm texture.

In the middle room, yellow rustic stone covers the floor, while a washed aggregate wall finish extends from the exterior to the interior. Old timber panels recycled from demolished houses were turned into display fixtures.