Atelier d'More

Chic Camélia，Shanghai / Atelier d’More
A space devoid of flowers, enveloping a heart that blooms.

If a flower is not merely a beautiful object held in hand, but a space one can step into, then upon entering, what you see is your own inner self. The women's clothing brand Chic Camélia, named after the camellia flower, evokes the unique inner temperament inherent to every woman. The project is located in a corner shop on the ground floor of a commercial building next to a city thoroughfare. Therefore, we contemplated how to shape a space within a regular, structured interior that contrasts with the external environment—one that counteracts the homogenizing, straightforward aspects of urban representation and strives to achieve the tranquil, soft, and intimate spatial quality akin to the inner self, as conveyed by the brand's essence.

Inspiration Derived from the Site

The site features a regular L-shaped layout, elevated by a nearly half-meter height difference at the entrance, overlooking the passing pedestrian flow. Apart from the chamfered glass facade connected to the entrance platform, the space includes three window openings. The one closest to the entrance is the only street-facing display window, which absorbs the gazes of passersby and hints at the warmth within, serving as a medium for interaction with the outside world. The second window opening is on another wall facing the inner street, where lush vegetation presses directly against the window. In the afternoon, abundant light, accompanied by the vibrant life outside, floods freely into the interior, softening the order established by the column grid. Due to the unique architectural structure, the third adjacent window opening is partially obscured by an 8-meter-long shear wall nearby. At the center of this wall, a half-height doorway is carved out, allowing light, carrying tranquility, to intrude into this shadowy area while drawing the gaze into the intimacy hidden behind the shadows. We discovered that within this originally homogeneous column-grid space lies such a rich array of heterogeneous elements. Thus, we sought to embed functional spaces and display circulation into the site, aligning with its unique characteristics, and the initial form of the space began to take shape.

Continuation of Force in the Site

We reorganized the layout of the platform, mitigating the originally steep staircase steps by extending the light-colored limestone flooring from the interior to the starting point of the outdoor canopy. Through material variation, a composite wood decking transitions the street interface, while a camellia tree is planted at the farthest end. The redesigned entrance space, now more gradual, sheds its previous aloof posture and quietly awaits the arrival of guests. Ascending the steps, an interior space defined by a column grid unfolds before you.

Once again, we drew inspiration from the site itself. It was as if an invisible force permeated the space—first clinging to the framework structure, emanating from the top and flowing downward. Across the over-300-square-meter area, the depth of the space was divided into three main zones: front, middle, and rear. Then, this force expanded horizontally, guiding the gaze along the alignment of beams, columns, windows, and doorways, evoking a sense of sensory tranquility. We contemplated how to ensure that every functional element added to the space would express this inherent dynamism of the site.

We constructed a new horizontal plane in the vertical dimension, primarily to address the exposed and complex pipeline systems overhead. This plane maintains a certain distance from the lowest points of the pipelines, first curving upward near the display window area. A spherical light appears as if casually dropped into this inverted, elastic fabric-like form, hovering in the space corresponding to the gap between the reception desk and the salon table below. In front of the second window, light grazes past two symmetrically positioned fitting rooms, then casts onto the ceiling, which seems to sink gradually under the weight of hanging garments. The interplay of light and shadow imbues this area with a sense of volume, lowering the spatial center of gravity—marking the starting point of the display circulation. The plane then gently spans the main beam in the central area, arching again like the belly of a fish. This section corresponds to the middle zone of the display, where the only light escapes from the doorway in the shear wall, spills onto the floor, and is then gathered by the spoon-like ceiling above the doorway, illuminating the ceremonial sense of entering the VIP area by the window. As a triple fitting room emerges from the wall at the rear of the space, the plane arches upward at its top opening, concluding at the endpoint of the circulation. This newly added plane envelops the entire ceiling, with each deformation marking the boundaries of different zones. The space is once again simplified into three main areas—front, middle, and rear—while the originally visible structural elements are concealed, outlined only as linear currents of force, flowing calmly throughout the site.

Project info
Project name:Chic Camélia
Project type:Commercial Architecture, Store, Fashion Store
Design:Atelier d’More
Website:www.d-more.cn
Contact e-mail:dmore@foxmail.com
Design year:2025.04.27-2025.06.10
Completion year:2025.08.01
Leader designer & Team:Zhiyi Lu,Wei Wang,Tianrui Yu,Jian Gao,Yunxia Li,Liangjun Xu(Intern)
Project location:Shanghai, China
Gross built area:300㎡
Photo credit:SongImage-Langxing Zhou
Clients:Chic Camélia
CD collaborator:Xuanji Design
Construction team:Shanghai Hetang Decoration
Materials:Lime Stone, Inorganic Coatings, Birch Plywood
Stone supplier: Bisha Stone
Prop production: Xueyu Furniture Technology Factory