Originally intended to house a VIP lounge and lifestyle items, the program for the functionalities of this VIP boutique became increasingly vague during the evolution of the project so the design was, in a sense, responsive to producing content out of nothing. We created a concept where this space became a flexible and changeable environment. Various ambient nuances of Three on the Bund, Shanghai were compressed into a magic box of sorts made up of different slices that housed specific functions for the boutique.

Using a high density filing system as a base, the different contents of the lounge/kitchenette/display/VIP area are enacted as slices that created different usages for the space. By sliding the slices to and from one another, this magic box allowed an unlimited range of spatial and programmatic possibilities without being tied down to any one, particular function. When entirely closed, this magic box appears as a mysterious, glossy black object sitting in space.

completed autumn 2005