Reef Store
say architects
Hangzhou, China
The team at Say architects drew inspiration from reefs in designing a multipurpose space that flows and grows organically with what surrounds it
Barber’s shops are no longer just a place to get groomed in, but have taken on social roles that deserve to be highlighted. In the same way that reefs come about through the accumulation of organic remains over time, in what is a permeable interaction with the environment, the new salon also creates various connections.
On one of the two main facades one notices a large column built with different types of stone, and the rest of the project unfolds from it. All the elements fit into a square grid – including the wire mesh on the facade – that delimits the spaces for the men’s barber’s, the women’s hairdresser’s, and the café, which symbolically connects the two floors.