Random Studio turned to traditional Korean materials and techniques for Toteme's Seoul pop-up.

Random Studio designed a pop-up store for Swedish fashion brand Toteme in Seoul, to mark the brand’s launch in the Korean market. From 6 to 18 December 2024, the pop-up store featured the brand’s Fall/Winter 2024 runway and ready-to-wear collection in a space constructed of hanji, a traditional Korean paper handcrafted from mulberry tree bark. The durable yet delicate paper was stacked to form display tables and shelves and suspended to form walls, creating niches for displaying Toteme’s clothing, handbags and shoes. Formed around the central design concept of a ‘work-in-progress’, with the textured surfaces and feathery paper edges left exposed, reflecting the brand’s emphasis on materiality and craft. Random Studio also designed oversized silhouettes of Toteme’s most popular pieces present throughout its display windows, drawing a connection to the brand’s online presence.

A New Address

Nestled along the captivating Suzhou Creek in Shanghai, a transformation took place. What was once a bank warehouse steeped in the rich history of this vibrant city, is now a destination for art and culture: Fotografiska Shanghai. This new address is anything but your ordinary museum; it is a poetic immersion into the realm of visual narratives, woven through the lens of photography. 

Revitalizing Heritage: A Fusion of Preservation and Regeneration

Preserving the Past, Reinventing the Future 

Our approach to this historical building embodies both preservation and reinvention at its core. We pay homage to the building's industrial legacy while fostering a new narrative, one deeply rooted in visual art and storytelling. The integration of original brickwork, concrete beams, and industrial details in modern spaces forms a multi-layered environment, infusing authenticity, and intrigue. Beyond cultural significance, the project catalyzes neighborhood rejuvenation, transforming a dormant space into a dynamic cultural center.

An Inspired Design Strategy

The first-floor layout, inspired by Shanghai's diverse layers, embraces openness and fluidity. Various functions coalesce, offering a sequence of moments organized to facilitate human interaction. 

The restaurant, bar, retail space, and the ice cream shop blend old and new features, crafting a unique experience that merges historical richness with a contemporary twist.

Journey through Light and Color

Navigating the Museum

Circulation within the museum unfolds through two grand staircases, reminiscent of its industrial past. These staircases, subtly nodding to the origin of photography, reinforce the building's spine. Custom-designed vertical lights along the walls guide visitors through the exhibits, not only serving as navigational elements but also creating a dynamic light experience through movement leading guests from one display to another.

A journey through a series of rooms, each enveloped in Fotografiska's curated colors, unfolds. Despite the absence of natural light, deliberate ceiling spots accentuate photographs on the walls, creating an immersive experience where visual narratives come to life in a play of light and shadow. Concrete walls, preserving the building's industrial authenticity, pay homage to its heritage. Transition spaces between exhibition areas serve as moments to reconnect with the building. Minimal interventions focus on essentials, preserving the industrial authenticity of the original building.

Merging Tradition with Future Vision

The top floor presents a futuristic vision of the traditional garden room, merging indoor and outdoor spaces. The area offers access to a vast terrace with panoramic views, featuring a bar, cozy lounge, exclusive VIP room, and a terrace. Retro charm, embodied in green and yellow tones and textures, big flower sitting islands and a bed of sunken seating, transports visitors through time, blending nostalgia with modern elegance.

Cultural Hub Beyond Exhibitions

Fotografiska Shanghai is not just a museum, it’s a cultural hub. Beyond exhibitions, it will host workshops, lectures, and events, fostering a community of artists, enthusiasts, and curious minds who share a passion of photography.

The new store is part of a series of openings across China, and is indicative of the city’s rise as a shopping destination, and one as forward in offerings as fellow first-tier cities Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. Situated at The MixC shopping mall in the city’s Nanshan district, the store occupies a compact unit featuring an interior design by Stockholm-based architect and longtime collaborator Christian Halleröd. A hydraulic crane trolley lifting a colourful light box signals the store’s presence. Walls, flooring and ceiling in a soft grey hue form the backdrop for an assortment of furnishings, including large glass and steel cabinets, similar low cabinets with an orange frame, chunky wooden sofas with blue-striped upholstery, and a large oval table dipped in a striking purple hue. One side of the store is lined with large mirrors and pink stools. Lighting is highly functional, and sees three rows of tubular lights across the ceiling. The new Byredo store carries the brand’s full range of perfumes, home fragrances and hand & body care products.

This slick two-story white structure in Wuxi is home to a clothing store and cafe under the brand Cotton Park. Designed by TOMYU Studio, the aesthetic caters to the youth clientele and has been popular amongst the fashionable local influencers.

Hansgrohe, a world leader in kitchen and bathroom tap and fittings, has been at the forefront of science and technology in the industry for more than 120 years. To foster dialogue between the brand and Chinese consumers, Hansgrohe commissioned Ippolito Fleitz Group to design its first innovation centre abroad, the 'Hansgrohe InnovationParc', in Shanghai.

The Hansgrohe InnovationParc is housed in a three-storey industrial building on the west bank of Shanghai's Huangpu River, historically a manufacturing and trading area. The building was originally a shipyard; its architectural features, in particular its third floor with a chimney-shaped opening, inspired the redevelopment by Ippolito Fleitz Group, who created a space that transcends traditional boundaries. This new place is not just a showroom, an office or an event space, but a space open to all these functions, a space that can thus encourage open-mindedness and innovation.

In designing the space, designer from Ippolito Fleitz Group were guided by the concept of fluidity, both because Hansgrohe's business has to do with water and because the company's success is centred on the user and the constant question of how the user would interact with its products in multiple scenarios. This has been translated into an architectural language by reconstructing the journey of water within the building.

In Chinese thought, water symbolises intelligence, wisdom and softness. The first floor of the Hansgrohe space tells of water's constant adaptability, flexibility, agility as well as the adaptability of technology to consumer trends. This floor focuses on activation, emphasising the activities within the space rather than its static design. There are two entrances on opposite sides, with an innovation table in the middle, showing the path from idea to product and the latest research of the research and development team. The table is topped by wooden panels into which Laser Blade recessed fittings with General Lighting optics are inserted for even illumination of the entire surface.

Further inside, near the opposite entrance, is a digital water forest that invites interaction, providing insights into the brand's history and ideas. The space is designed without a predefined path for the customer, encouraging exploration and discovery. The individual trees in the forest are lit from below by Underscore RGB lightlines that provide variable illumination in tones ranging from green to blue.

The second floor is dedicated to product innovation and attention to detail. It houses the research and development department for prototyping, areas reminiscent of showers and a nimble office area, where meeting rooms are lit by Blade R that also house recessed Easy.

In the lobby there is a cosy spa-like atmosphere: customers can enter areas reminiscent of egg-shaped showers and try out products, experimenting with different shower types. This intimate and immersive experience engages customers with water and creates lasting memories and affinities. In this area there are also many plants that are illuminated by Palco projectors installed on the shower structures, the light coming from below casts the shadows of the plants on the walls and ceiling, helping to emphasise the pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, while diffuse but non-invasive light is provided by ∅ 17 mm Laser recessed fixtures.

The third floor shows the power and creativity of innovation. Here you will find versatile workspaces, a conference area that allows for different configurations, and a hybrid meeting space. This floor is designed to invite collaboration, encourage concentration, and foster innovation. It features a striking architectural element: a ceiling with large curved parts that narrows into a bottleneck with a height of 18 metres. This element connects the inside with the outside through a skylight, allowing natural light to illuminate the area. To take full advantage of this extraordinary architecture, Ippolito Fleitz Group has positioned a digital waterfall that seems to descend from the chimney-like structure. Just below the waterfall is the events and workshop area, a versatile space where people can gather and collaborate, as if around a bonfire. In this space characterised by curved shapes, Agora RGBW floodlights are aimed upwards and indirectly illuminate this area, immersing everything in a blue atmosphere.

Flexibility makes the space of the Innovation Parc exceptional. The design allows for seamless transformations. The possibilities are endless, from a vibrant, colourful environment to a more sober ambience. Ippolito Fleitz Group has created a space that does not impose its own identity, but evolves according to the activities of the users and the brand itself.

Shenzhen’s MixC shopping mall has been reimagined by Make Architects to response to the city’s fast-expanding economy with its growing population of over 12.5 million inhabitants.

The design of the reconfigured mall has focused on giving the centre a much more civic approach, aiming to improve connections as part of a wider masterplan and its own distinct character. The refurbishment has breathed new life into the existing mall and made it feel like a skilfully composed urban district, prioritising the customer experience with a focus on high-end luxury.

A private clubhouse on a quiet, tree-lined street in Shanghai, designed by a boutique international practice, A00.

Kokaistudios has completed the renovation of a historical villa, located in the heart of the city’s former French Concession. The villa was transformed into the home for a Shanghai-based Haute Couture brand, Grace Chen. The project encompasses the architectural renovation and interior design of the villa, as well as a new glass pavilion display and event space. 
Taking inspiration from Grace Chen’s beautiful and intricately crafted clothing, Kokaistudios developed a design strategy that is feminine and elegant, yet completes the classic design of the villa with a touch of modernity.


Kokaistudios embarked on an architectural restoration of the building that valorized the villa’s original features, including the French doors, the inlaid marble mosaic flooring on the upstairs terrace, as well as the beautiful facade brickwork.


The entrance to the villa is marked by a large black and bronze weaved metal gate, the design of which was inspired by one of Grace Chen’s designs. It provides privacy, coupled with a strong sense of arrival. 
The villa overlooks a courtyard that was completely re-designed to meet the client's needs, functioning as an event space and an area for hosting small fashion shows.


The architect divided the villa into a series of areas, with a progression from the public areas on the ground floor to the most private areas on the third floor.


The ground floor hosts the main showroom and lounge area. The show-kitchen and dining area has direct access to the courtyard.


The fitting rooms and offices are located on the second floor. The architect settled on a palette of colors and a range of natural materials, together creating a comforting environment that acts as a supporting backdrop to the client's beautiful couture creations.


While much of the custom-made cabinetry and display mirrors were designed in a style to complement the historic nature of the villa, the architect chose to contrast them with features and finishes that were intentionally modern.


The interior space uses furniture and fixtures from noted domestic and international producers, such as pieces by Flos, and Murano glass lamps designed and produced in Italy by the family of Filippo Gabbiani, Chief Architect of the project.


The third floor is taken up by the intimate library as well as the VIP suite for out-of-town guests. Exposed bricks were finished in a simple dove grey paint, giving the space a more unfinished feeling.
This intimate and elegant space is an area for reflection and exchange, envisaged as a “salon” of old times.

A space in which to see and be seen, Mia Fringe is Shanghai’s newest multi-brand retail and dining destination. Inspired by the opulence, drama, and layered visibility of theater, Kokaistudios’ design showcases an eclectic array of men’s, women’s, and lifestyle brands to glamorous effect. With interiors to match the quirkiness of the brands, the space combines sophisticated glamour with playful eccentricity. 

Spread across two floors, the 1,600sqm venue’s complex programming called for careful consideration in terms of directing visitors into and around the space. In addition to fashion retail, Mia Fringe also incorporates a flower shop, cafe, and restaurant, which come nightfall, transforms into an atmospheric lounge-bar concept. The challenge for designers was how to succinctly convey this lifestyle mix in a way that would capitalize on the store’s prime Huaihai Road location.

Two separate entrances make a clear distinction between Mia Fringe’s retail and F&B elements, signalling to passing foot traffic that this is as much of a destination for dining, as it is shopping. By entering either, visitors embark on a journey through distinctive spaces, each inspired by parts of a theater and peppered with playful motifs of performance and the stage.

Imagined as a rehearsal room, the downstairs retail space is home to the store’s more entry-level products, including high street fashion, athleisure wear, lifestyle accessories, and flowers. A deliberate lightness of materials - pale-colored wood and terrazzo, for example - sets a welcoming tone, in keeping with an imagined, relaxed backstage area.

A mirrored wall stretching the length of the space not only amplifies light, but also makes a playful nod to a theater’s rehearsal studio. Continuing the theme, garments are presented on horizontal rails, directly inspired by ballet barres.

An eye-catching main entrance welcomes visitors into the imagined theater’s front-of-house world. Framed by a deep recess, and under a canopy of exposed bulbs, it leads to the first of Mia Fringe’s two F&B locations: a ground floor cafe. A casual daytime spot, it serves coffee, tea, sandwiches and light bites. Beyond is a grandiose sweeping staircase, setting the stage for the venue's dramatic upstairs space.

Elegant light grey terrazzo steps are offset by dazzling walls of mosaic mirror, spanning both levels and extending to a third-floor office beyond. Comprising over 1,000 pieces of custom-cut antique-finished glass, studded with gleaming brass brackets, the area alludes to the edginess of the Mia Fringe concept by way of an unmistakably contemporary ripple glass balustrade. The material is a recurring motif throughout, with no fewer than six different types used across the venue’s various spaces.

For the best seats in the house, a more formal upstairs dining room is imagined as the well-appointed boxes and balconies of a classical theater. A place in which to take afternoon tea, brunch, as well as more substantial fare, come nightfall, a cast of bartenders perform their craft from an elegant bar area, positioned to mirror an orchestra pit.

The space offers expansive views onto a central atrium connecting the two floors, as well as into the second-floor retail area beyond. From this vantage point, repeated rows of horizontal hanging racks positioned throughout transitional areas imply layer upon layer of scenery tracks; while the vertical lines of a louver wall, as well as textured ripple glass on VIP room doors, are suggestive of stage curtains.

The stage in question showcases Mia Fringe’s most cutting-edge, high-end product lines, as well as a dedicated jewelry display room. Theatrical in tone, the space contrasts elegant materials - an abundance of walnut, parquet flooring, and touches of burnished brass, for example - with a consciously less polished wall finish of textured Marmo Antico plaster. The physical juxtaposition between textures refined and rough mirrors Mia Fringe’s curatorial approach of edgy sophistication. Throughout, product displays take the form of abstract wooden blocks, appearing as stage props in an unknown play.

A theatre of a space, inside of which visitors are invited to find their own persona and role, Mia Fringe is where narratives combine and stories unfold. For this reason, creating a backdrop that lends itself to sharing on social media was of particular importance. Currently making waves in Shanghai, Mia Fringe takes inspiration from an established trend for multipurpose concept stores, started in Europe, and blending carefully curated products with a palpable focus on experience, all within beautifully designed spaces.

A vibrant, day-long destination for shopping, dining, and more, Mia Fringe strikes a careful balance between sophisticated elegance and contemporary edge, lending new drama to Shanghai’s dynamic retail scene. 

Located in close vicinity to Beijing International Airport, Luo Hong Art Museum is China's largest personal photography art museum. As the President of bakery chain Holiland, Luo Hong has devoted much of his time to photographing wildlife. He was named a “Climate Hero” by the United Nations for his contributions to raising public awareness on the importance of environmental protection.

Located at the world-famous Shanghai International Circuit, just a short drive from the heart of Shanghai, the Porsche Experience Centre Shanghai is an ideal venue for hosting exclusive events, with the guarantee of Porschestandard quality. Offering a wide range of flexible spaces and state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, the Porsche Experience Centre Shanghai allows guests to combine business with pleasure, plus the exciting option to add a tailored driving programme to the hosted event.

At Hong Kong’s 2018 Art Basel, Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet presented another innovative concept in the Collectors lounge. 

Chilean artist and designer Sebastian Errazuriz presented the last in a trilogy of installations. Titled “Foundations”, Errazuriz’s immersive design for 2018 is based on iron ore, the natural resource at the heart of steel and one of the principal resources for watchmakers. 

Italian artist Quayola’s new photographic series, titled “Remains: Vallée de Joux” unifies the natural roots of Audemars Piguet with his own visual artistry.

Together, the two artists transformed the space into a somewhat fantastical hideaway with their respective creations, which further serve as the backdrop for Audemars Piguet’s highly trained watchmakers to demonstrate their craft.

French artist and designer Mathieu Lehanneur was appointed to conceive a special installation that is made of 12 rooms, forming a large ring – an allusion to a watch dial.



In the middle of the circle stands a huge rock, created from cast replicas of those found in Audemars Piguet’s home in the Vallée de Joux.



Around it, twelve doors will open, each revealing a story about Audemars Piguet: from its origins to the 21st century, from watchmaking to contemporary art, from the Vallée de Joux to China.



The themed rooms exhibit a close-up experience of the iconic swiss brand, linking the past to the present.



200 historical and contemporary timepieces are exhibited, transporting visitors on a 141 year-long journey. On display in the mirror room are rare vintage watches that have made milestones in the maison’s history.



Audemars Piguet has always sought to integrate creative vision with technical mastery, as horology, artisanship and artistry have been closely intertwined for centuries.



The brand is pushing a different kind of boundary, having embarked on this journey from Le Brassus to China, and is looking forward to witnessing the encounter between these two very different worlds.

Victoria’s Secret Shanghai Lippo Plaza

Victoria’s Secret Beijing WF Central

Victoria’s Secret Hong Kong

The first of its kind in Shanghai, The Clinic, is a wellness, and rehabilitation center focusing on each person's individual needs. The design from Hannah Churchill of hcreates aims to create an interior that overturns ones idea of the "sterile white walled" hospital environment.

Raw materials of concrete, rustic wood, textured glass and industrial lighting have been used to create a intimate boutique style to the common spaces and treatment rooms. The minimalistic and natural finishes give suggestion to a spa interior to instill a feeling of relaxation and healing.