The concept is straightforward: A simple retail space gets a wall treatment made out of a simple material of 22,000 wooden sticks. Yet the engineering behind this took customized digital tools to manage the quantity of sticks for every CNC-drilled hole on the wall, which defined the direction of each stick.

Behind this concept and the new boutique for mens streetwear label MRQT in Stuttgart, Germany, is the Swiss architecture firm ROK. As described by the architects:

The installation refers to the flowing forms and delicate texture of textiles and cloth. It creates a unique and sensational background for the fashion items displayed on the smoothly integrated clothes hangers. The flow of wooden sticks and subtle lighting frames a central full height mirror and forms a central “stage” for the customer.

Besides the idea which inspired the unique feature wall, I love effort that went in the details of this minimalist space: how the frame to display clothes protrudes from the wall of sticks, how the mirror is backlit and adds more depth to the wall, how the rest of the walls and floors are kept calm and minimal in contrast to the warmth and energy exuded from the feature wall. The result of this straightforward yet clever concept is a retail experience that is elegant and inviting.

Photography by Daniel Stauch.