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Architects: Whitespace
- Area: 3000 m²
- Year: 2009
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Photographs:Wilson Tungthunya
Text description provided by the architects. Over the last 29 years, the J&B company had quietly become the most important retailer of products to the salon industry in Thailand. Operating from modest headquarters in Bangkok's Pratunam area in the past years, the need to relocate due to development in the area prompted owners K.Thatinee Sawasdee and K. Saijai Sarikanont to seize to opportunity to create a proper headquarters that accurately reflects their leadership position in the industry. The new building is located at Petchaburi road near Chidlom in central Bangkok.
J&B decided to work with Whitespace, owned by American architect David Mayer, who are branding and retail specialist architects best known for their work creating the highly successful retail environment for Apple known as iStudio. Collaborating closely with the owner's personal Feng Shui master, Whitespace creatively blended the best feng shui practices with world class branding and retail design.
Whitespace design solution carefully balances branding, architecture, and retail interiors. They describe the architecture as purely modernist; simplicity expressed with excitement and creativity. The building exterior includes a 6 story high sculptural sun screen "draped" over the southern facade of the building. This screen was perforated by high tech machinery with a custom designed pattern by Whitespace graphic designers. Another example is the multi-storied glass showcase window that dramatically projects from the main body of the building like the bow of a ship.
J&B's new facility includes 1,000 sqm of retail on 4 floors including every conceivable product needed by professional salons. Whitespace devised a display and environmental graphic system bringing color and drama to each floor while making it easy for customers to shop. Floor 1 is a convenience area presenting the range of most popular and products. Floor 2 features hair products and cosmetics, while floor 3 highlights spa products and salon furnishings. Furnishings continue to the 4th floor which also contains a seminar room with all the necessary facilities to present hair product and styling demonstrations. Upper floors contain administrative and private facilities.
