Stunning Herman Miller store at Marina Square
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A stunning Herman Miller store-in-store at Marina Square uses ‘fabricwood’ to frame entrances and create impact.
The store is part of furniture and lighting retailer Xtra’s latest flagship and the ‘fabricwood’ effect is created by bending 280 panels of plywood into giant arches ranging from a low three metres at the entrance to a lofty eight metres at the opposite end. It was conceived by design director Pan Yicheng from Produce.
“Occupying a 20m long, 7m wide space, the plywood surface stretches across the entire site like a sail of tensile fabric, with symmetrical qualities that take on the proportions of the Herman Miller logo,” reports Designboom in a designer-contributed article. “The minimal surface, which reminds one of German architect and structural engineer Frei Otto’s soap film experiments, contains a series of arches that frame the entrances and connections to the rest of Xtra, the street and the adjacent cafe.”
After extensive research for the project, Yicheng was motivated by Herman Miller’s structural and material innovation.
“Indeed, the brand’s use of moulded plywood offers light and elegant furniture, while the study of comfort and ergonomic for their working chairs results in an elastic mesh material stretched at the back of the furniture to create a doubly curved and frameless suspended surface that supports a full range of seating postures.”
Originally used for shaping fabric to fit the human body, Yicheng has exported the technique of ‘darting’ onto plywood. The darts and their respective angles determine the eventual curvature when closed. Circular cut-outs are used at converging points of darts to allow the plywood to bend and avoid tears.
When assembled, fabricwood forms a naturally undulated surface. The most challenging part of the project has been to translate flat pattern drawings into three-dimensional modelling and vice versa. A combination of the latest computer simulation techniques and physical modelling has helped achieve the desired curvature. The elasticity of the plywood has played a major factor in shaping the skin, while the dart angles have been re-calibrated to accommodate any changes to the plywood material.
More images and details about the fabricwood on Designboom.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the primary material used to create the impact of the Herman Miller store?
What is the primary material used to create the impact of the Herman Miller store?
The store uses 'fabricwood', which is created by bending 280 panels of plywood into giant arches. This technique gives the surface a naturally undulated appearance.
Q.What inspired the design director for this store's concept?
What inspired the design director for this store's concept?
Design director Pan Yicheng was inspired by Herman Miller’s structural and material innovation, including their use of moulded plywood and elastic mesh for ergonomic chairs.
Q.How is the 'fabricwood' effect achieved with plywood?
How is the 'fabricwood' effect achieved with plywood?
The technique of 'darting' is applied to plywood, where darts and their angles determine curvature. Circular cut-outs at converging points allow bending and prevent tears.
Q.What was the main challenge in designing the 'fabricwood' structure?
What was the main challenge in designing the 'fabricwood' structure?
The most challenging aspect was translating flat pattern drawings into three-dimensional models and vice versa. Computer simulation and physical modelling helped achieve the desired curvature.