Linehouse’s Langham Beauty Galleria cosmetic retail space in Hong Kong enables a tranquil, yet fantastical shopping experience.

Key features
The Langham Beauty Galleria located in the Langham Place shopping centre in Mongkok, Hong Kong. It is a 2,000 sq-m beauty hall which draws inspiration from nature and natural beauty. The two-level multi-brand cosmetics retailer, designed by architecture firm Linehouse, hosts a variety of vendor, pop-up and event spaces. Upon entry, guests are greeted by a double height atrium allowing plenty of natural light to filter in. Tree-like structures constructed of oak timber fins and panels laid out in a radial pattern populate the space. These panels extend from the treetops and run the length of the ceiling, creating the effect of a thick forest canopy. Meanwhile, the tree-inspired elements are set out in different heights, with back-lit trees used to line the lower circulation path to guide shoppers through the space. By contrast, retail counters and displays are made of stainless steel and peach-hued glass, juxtaposing the natural appearance of the wood materials.

Frame’s take
The use of spatial escapism is being increasingly used in beauty retail interiors.‘The space is built on the blurred lines between realism and fantasy and celebrates beauty escapism’s power in its self-expression and self-healing capacities,’ Christopher Skinner, founder of creative agency School House, wrote on how beauty retailers can build such activating experiences. ‘The biophilic design looks to reduce stress while rich, voluptuous architecture and exaggerated fixtures play with transcendent features to allow the consumer to step into a reverie as they experience the space.’

Embodying the scale and appearance of a forest, the sculptural tree elements used throughout the space are in some way a form of abstract biophilia. Though they are not living and do not provide the same benefits as a plant-rich space, the timber constructions cue users to recall the archetype of trees in a forest. This fantastical presentation allows customers to find reprise in the space, recalling feelings of tranquility and seclusion associated with being in the woods.