Commercial Garden of Eden

Commercial Garden of Eden

Specialty retail has figuratively arrived in the wellness era. United under the term biophilia, the desire for tranquility, peace, and inner growth is expressed in designs inspired by nature and a feel-good atmosphere.

Being prevails over having. The store embodies a psychosocial system that appeals to all senses. It’s about more than just green plants on the sales floor. Here, artificial intelligence is combined with natural intelligence, and conceptual elements such as constructing different climate zones within a single room, fragrances, and immersive effects play a major role. From a mega mall project in Japan to a small lifestyle store in Kuwait, nature is involved as a style icon, muse, and inexhaustible source of inspiration.

Text: Isabel Faiss. Photos: Stores

The Glossier/Paris

The Living Field

At Galerie Joseph in Paris’s Le Marais district, Random Studio staged a nature-inspired, AI-controlled pop-up store for Glossier. Surrounded by pastel-colored flowers and petals, they created an imaginary field of flowers. True to the motto of the launch event, “The Wonder of You,” not only did the digital projections in the three themed pavilions in the gallery adapt to the presence of each visitor by displaying AI-selected poetry quotes, but the petals also moved in sync with what was happening inside the rooms.

Trove/Kuala Lumpur

The Lost Cove

Spacemen Studio staged this Trove store in Kuala Lumpur like a secret hidden beneath the waves of a secluded bay, revealing itself in all its glory only during brief moments of low tide. The products are arranged on linear, wave-shaped shelves that not only embody the movement of the waves, but also the interior of a cave. The unconventional room concept is designed to relax visitors, transport them away from everyday life, and inspire them to go on their own journey of discovery through this natural spectacle.

Aila/Kuwait

The Aesthetics of Vines

Inspired by nature and its constant change, Saccal Design House created an interior concept for the fashion and lifestyle store Aila in Kuwait that extends from the ceiling to the floor and, like an ecosystem, is extremely adaptable. Like vines, the shelving systems can be individually rearranged at any time, sometimes to emphasize the impressive overall height of the room, sometimes to create space for events. The calm and deceleration, which is also reflected in the color scheme, is intended to relax and invite visitors to linger.

Amiko Gelato/Barcelona

Miami (V)Ice

Used as the source of all life: the literal life-giver of this Art Deco ice cream parlor in Miami Beach style in downtown Barcelona draws on the elemental power of nature. As a stylistic element for color and form and a symbol of the impressive life energy of an oasis in the middle of the urban desert. The Spanish design studio Masquespacio draws inspiration from nature in almost all of its projects. Always with a special twist, as in the case of Amiko Gelato, where it clashes with Art Deco and striking materials such as ceramic and stone. The highlight of the store is a lighting concept that changes throughout the day, mimicking the actual lighting mood in nature as the day progresses.

Nuna x Liberty/London

Flowers in XXL format

Flower romance spreads across the entire eight meters of the Oxford Street store window with XXL blooms and fabric wallpaper. For a campaign with baby brand Nuna, the famous Liberty department store window display was temporarily transformed into a floral fairy tale land that conveyed not only the harmony of nature but also the power of human connection. For this design concept, Liganova used nature as an emotional medium that, under the title Fantasy Land, combines boundless, childlike imagination with the purity, authenticity, and reliability of Mother Nature.

Louis Vuitton/Saint-Tropez

Exclusive Summer Garden

The most impressive example of a liaison between nature and gastronomic pleasure is currently the Louis Vuitton restaurant in the exclusive Hotel White 1921 in Saint-Tropez. For this summer, the team has recruited two renowned Michelin-starred chefs, Arnaud Donckele and Maxime Frédéric, who will be creating the menu throughout the season. The entire ambience of the restaurant is in the style of Louis Vuitton’s By The Pool collection, with elements from the in-house Objets Nomades line, such as lanterns by Zanellato/Bortotto, featured in the interior. Artistic origami flowers by Ateliers Oï and green walls complete the small, private-feeling idyll.

Let’s Pollinate/Amsterdam

Your Own AI Garden …

…as a social program? This was precisely the approach taken by Amsterdam and Paris-based agency Random Studio with its innovative concept Let’s Pollinate in Amsterdam in March 2024. The primary goal was to use the possibilities of technology and AI to bring people together in a physical place and create something new together – in this case, a Garden of Eden with AI-generated plant species. This was made possible by a combination of ChatGPT and Dall-e. By scanning a QR code on their smartphones, guests could create their own plants, which could then be “planted” in a community garden on a large screen. Let’s Pollinate was one of the most successful projects of Living Lab, a division of Random Studio headed by director Roel Wouters.

Braun Buffel/Putrajaya

Living Microcosm

Urban Bloom is the name given by design agency Spacemen to its concept for a new series of experimental brand stores for bag manufacturer Braun Buffel. The idea premiered in 2022 with this store in the Malaysian city of Putrajaya in the form of an abstract, living tree as the centerpiece. Originally the center of the natural forest ecosystem, it was symbolically transplanted here to become the heart of the experimental retail approach pursued by Urban Bloom. In contrast, the store is designed like a design laboratory, with the living tree growing and constantly changing at its center.

Xiangcheng Paradise Walk/Suzhou

Quality of Life in Mall Format

For the Xiangcheng Paradise Walk shopping mall in Suzhou, China, Arizon design studio created an overall concept spanning the entire 300 meters of the building and all seven floors under the motto “Dancing Waters in Forested Streams.” Flooded with light, defined by natural forms and inspired by the various shapes, reflections and surfaces of water, this mall, which opened in 2024, sets a new benchmark for biophilia on a large scale. At its heart is Moon Island, an urban island covering over 3,000 square meters on levels 5 and 6. As a center for social interaction, this space is not about consumption, but about the luxury of taking a break – a revolutionary approach for Chinese malls. Paradise Walks are popping up in more and more Chinese cities, but with this one, nationwide mall operator Longfor Group is setting a new standard, including in terms of sustainability, which plays a major role in the overall concept in Suzhou.

Grand Green Osaka

Zen in the Metropolis

Originally, the city of Osaka had the lowest proportion of green space per inhabitant compared to other prefectures in Japan. This situation was finally remedied by the Grand Green Osaka urban planning project, which is scheduled for completion mostly in 2024 and finally 2027, according to plan. The 22-hectar site comprises 11 hectares of various office and hotel buildings, several shopping malls and, at its center, the famous Umekita Park with an event stage. The Umeda district is known for its malls and shopping streets and has significantly increased its appeal with Grand Green Osaka. This is also evidenced by the arrival of brands such as Kith, Ne Quittez Pas, and Paul Smith in the South Buildings, which opened at the beginning of the year. A total of 260 brand and multi-brand stores are located on the site.