101 Architecture+Design

Borough Yards sits behind Borough Market - an iconic, historic space - dating back to the 11th century, now predominantly known as a premium food outlet. The space’s identity brings a quality into the surrounding area, and with it the unique qualities of its architectural components.

The shape and flow of London bridge’s and borough market railway tracks above inspires the flowing design of the cabinetry – warping and mirroring this curve into a dynamic form that informs the space and stimulates client interaction and story telling. In response to the visually stimulating and busy market outside, the latest Malin+Goetz apothecary offers a calm and contemplative experience - a suitable and complimentary response to its context. In this space of transformation, trained consultants offer expert advice and skin sessions to suit your individual needs and lifestyle.
The visual cues throughout the space provide a richness of tone, the detailing ornate, and intricate. 

Key elements of the design express the rich historical context the backdrop of Borough Market has to offer. One of the largest food markets in London, records of trade dating back over 1,000 years, back when Southwark was itself a small market town. Since the 1950s, however, it has seen an architectural and cultural new lease of life, its ornate Art Nouveau facade transforming the historical space into what is now primarily a premium food outlet.

The surrounding streets, though informed and embellished by the strong Victorian motifs offered by the locale, hadn’t quite offered a natural flow from the primary arterial roads, until the development of Borough Yard.  The development offers a more cohesive space-; easily accessible, visible from the surrounding area, and offers a more natural circulation. The space is home to a variety of retailers, and has provided a revitalised desirable location that more naturally compliments the exciting primary draw of the market beyond.

Through contemporary application, the design of the development echoes the architectural intricacy of the market. It is visually interesting, while also being quite busy. In response to this, we have created a calming, minimal space, that compliments its context suitably. 

Our main feature comprises of the singular piece of furniture, which through the span of several design iterations stemming from the abstractions of the railway line that runs above the footprint of Borough Yard, acted as one single sculptural piece of furniture, flowing from front to back. The shelving is un-impacted by the neutral space that surrounds it, and appears to be free standing, and therefore maintains a certain deception that it is light, playful and dynamic.

The railway line mimics the flowing journey through the heart of industrial London, both sprawling and fluid, and exaggerates the curve of the track in the evolution of an interesting curve that wraps around the entire area of the store.  The surrounding contemporary, and complex, sprawling furniture, a combination of flowing curves, and regular grids, works as a direct response to its situation.

The development of the structure has led to the implication of the journey a user experiences as they enter - to the left, dramatic cuts and abstraction within the furniture, growing in consistency as the shelves wrap around the back of the store and direct the user to the right, where the dramatic flowing shape of the footprint is highlighted by the contrasting rigidity of the conventional grid.

One way in which our concept impacts spatial coordination, is that the shelving informs not only the space, but the zoning as well. The entrance to back of house is not so much a doorway, but an implication through a portal, which allows the flowing form to be uninterrupted. 

The Back of House becomes therefore an interesting visual cue - matt black surfaces reserved for the back of house are revealed in portals behind the furniture, which create a pleasing interplay between light and dark. 

The consultation table, characteristic of a Malin+Goetz boutique, rises monolithic from the centre of the store, proposing a juxtaposing permanence of stone effect material a backdrop for the darker, mushroom furniture beyond it. 

The ceiling is a rafted detail to echo the underside of a railway bridge, to relay back to the industrial, Victorian concept. The beams offset from these slats create a zoning that impacts the arrangement of the store, and the dark nature bleeds through into the back of house, not hiding away the workings of the store, but celebrating them, providing an opportunity for an interesting visual hierarchy. 

The shape of the space is directly taken from the connection between the development and unit location, Borough Market and London Bridge trains station. These spaces are all shaped by the flowing railway tracks above. This form informed the shelving - warping and mirroring this flowing curve into a dynamic form that informs the space, and how the customer will interact with it. 

4 tones of brown increasing in intensity towards the back of the store , creating a hierarchy of colour throughout and into the store. Most resourcefully, the minimal, but bold nature of the Malin+Goetz product packaging creates a dramatic contrast from the shelving - the lightest colours appear as though the tonality is extracted through the stark white negative space of the products, whereas the darker shades towards the rear of the store are complimented by pops of colour - candles and fragrances packaged in bright, but natural shades. 

Being made entirely of acrylic, the shelving has a translucency to it that creates a visual interest throughout the furniture which remains partially visible from front to back of the store. Through several design iterations, sections of the otherwise regular grid have been cut away, and there are special moments throughout the store where the break can be viewed as abstracted, offering not only functionally in the potential for larger objects, but also a contrast from the uniformity of the grid. 

Furthermore, the semi-translucent nature of the shelving is an additional nod back to the apothecary shops of days past - glass tinctures and tightly packed rows and grids, the nature of the material - though somewhat similar to glass, offers a subtle but contemporary take on the very Victorian concept. 

Our ceiling is a stark contrast to the shelving. Charred timber slats reminiscent of the train tracks running overhead. The charred texture of the timber presents a dramatic contrast, the rough materiality complimenting the otherwise minimalist takes of the soft, polished floor, the smooth acrylic flowing furniture, and the simplistic but bold Malin+Goetz product. The charred timber, in presenting this contradiction, creates an atmosphere of warm brown tonality, not only relating to the colour palette of the surrounding development by adding a subtle warmth to an otherwise contemporary and minimalist interior. 

Terrazzo flooring in natural tones introduces a subservient, more minimalistic surface to offer a more organic, neutral pattern, contrasting the business of the shelving, and the dark, raw texture of the ceiling above. 

Guided by the philosophy of less, but better, their mission is to design high quality, easy-to-use skincare, fragrances + candles that fit into your modern lifestyle. They are honest about ingredients and their products are meant to be gentle, effective and efficient. Less steps in your routine, less packaging, less fuss, less waste.

Taking roots in the founders’ backgrounds and passions, design has been at the heart of everything the brand does, from the packaging to the formulas, taking pride in being designed for all – all skin types, skin tones + genders. Since its launch 19 years ago, MALIN+GOETZ has evolved from a 13-skincare product line and one neighborhood apothecary into a true global lifestyle brand spanning six continents and five categories - face, body, hair, fragrance and home.

MALIN+GOETZ now expands into Battersea Power Station with the same vision as in 2004 – creating a modern beauty store experience reminiscent of traditional neighborhood apothecaries: brimming with activity, efficacious treatments + exceptional customer experience.

Located in the remarkable building of a decommissioned coal-fired power station, this latest MALIN+GOETZ expansion took visual cues from Turbine Hall A that the space is situated within – both the rich architectural history and the iconic design elements creatively informed the concept of the store.

In collaboration with 101 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN, the apothecary is designed to be in keeping with the luxurious Art Deco intent. The spatial coordination was developed on the basis of using the store front as a central point of symmetry, creating a small but elaborate Art Deco arcade of fluted glass. Simple geometric shapes, adorned with minimal ornamentation, reminiscent of an industrial era of glamour.  

Strong architectural influence was taken from the rich historical context the boutique sits in - Turbine Hall A, completed in 1935 by Sir Gilbert Scott, boasts a strong Art Deco theme; in which Control Room A is housed -   

Halliay’s Art Deco interiors boasted Italian marble, polished parquet floors and wrought-iron staircases, walls lined with grey ‘ribbon napoleon’ and black Belgian marble, wrought iron staircases, walnut veneer furniture, holophane light fittings and a heavily decorative bronzed door. 

He additionally designed a deliberately sparse and simplistic facade, complemented intermittently with bold flourishes and narrow vertical windows and pilasters, dubbed the ‘Jazz Modern’ effect. The defining motif remains to be the chimneys, each built on stepped pedestals to emulate fluted doric columns, inspired by romanesque and classical architecture. 

Upon its completion in 1935, despite the constant backlash throughout it’s construction (resulting in the appointment of Sir Gilbert Scott nearing the final stages of the project, to appease critics), the press upon opening had dubbed the Power Station as a ‘Cathedral of Electricity’ and even so far as ‘Temple of Power’ - relaying the sheer monolithic presence the structure had, paired with the vision of Pearce, Halliday and Sir Gilbert Scott. 

WilkinsonEyre’s 30 year journey to fully restore the old powerhouse was an extremely faithful one - so far as to using recent technological advancements (previously invented for events such as the F1), to perfectly emulate the paint on the dials of Control Room A, where possible conserving what could be preserved, and where introducing new elements, staying truthful to the original ‘Jazz Modern’ concept. 

First taking visual cues from the Turbine Hall A that the space is situated within — both the rich architectural history and the iconic design elements creatively informed our concept.

Turbine Hall A features Halliday’s towering Art Deco classically influenced pilasters, their monumental scale denoting the ‘Temple of Power’ of the press release on its initial grand opening. The resultant imperial promenade has a clear, classical rhythm, and symmetry. The retention of it’s historic materials, too, we felt was something to carry over into our concept, the Italian marble, visibly scarred from the historic explosion in the 70s, and the rigid, but decorative ironmongery throughout designed to be in keeping with the original wrought-iron, luxurious Art Deco intent. 

We first implemented these moments through our site co-ordination - the initial footprint  was noticeably unbalanced, to which our response sought to re-introduce the symmetry of the exterior. The presentation of the store appears slightly shallower, echoing the effect of the grandiosity of the Hall outside, symmetry encouraging the onlooker to view the space as centrally coordinated. After establishing zoning and optimal positioning of the shelving, the form of which was heavily inspired by the predominantly linear elements of Art Deco, contrasting interesting curves and scallops breaking up the rigidity and encouraging visual interest.

The spatial coordination was developed on the basis of using the store front as a central point of symmetry, creating a small but elaborate Art Deco arcade of fluted glass, establishing 4 clear zones to encourage circulation throughout the store, equally additionally drawing from the surrounding greek and Art Deco influences. Simple geometric shapes, adorned with minimal ornamentation, reminiscent of an industrial era of glamour. 

Additionally, there is a stepped ceiling that offers a subtle Art Deco nod, providing passive light to the store. 

The Italian marble used in Turbine Hall A, combined by the natural lighting of the skylights above, creates soft beige - like tones, which we incorporated into our own colour palette. 

“Continuing the lighting language established in the public realm spaces, Speirs Major chose a warm light (2700K), bringing to mind the original tungsten lighting of the period for both the functional and architectural lighting. Gentle highlights to the key details include uplighting the industrial gantries, the main soffit and friezes, and vertical accents to the Art Deco columns”. - Arc Magazine 

Taking some elements from our previous project working alongside Malin+Goetz, the project introduces a warm ‘mushroom’ toned colour scheme - informed further by the incredibly industrial Control Rooms, and their perfectly restored Art Deco panels and dials.

For our cabinetry, we incorporated a high quality laminate, to refer back to the era of the 1930s, with mustard-y, mushroom-y tones, and subtle Art Deco references in the distribution of the Consultation space, and fixtures, as well as clear information taken from the Control Rooms.  The central furniture features 2 symmetrical portholes that house window displays, and juxtapose the rigidity of the glass tube structure surrounding it.

The central shelving dramatically contrasts the glass tubes, cleverly designed to appear as though floating. 

Stainless steel with aged, nickel-like effect, to appear as though it has dulled over time, the purposeful illusion of an installation having the permanence of somewhat a relic, or a aged ruin, much like the Power Station itself before it was reclaimed by the architects who had dutifully restored it. 

The ‘fluted’ glass - characteristic of the grandeur of high society Art Deco interiors -(such like the ‘Jazz Modern’, and the grandiosity of the Control Room, and it’s beautifully polished parquet, which was to only be stepped on using felt slippers so not to scuff the elaborate flooring),   offers a semi-translucent partition between ‘zones’, in addition to an interesting visual, the regular 50mm interruptions leaving the store seemingly open, and encouraging circulation, enabling visibility with intrigue. 

The stainless steel rails supporting the glass tubes echo ceiling suspended racks in factories, such like the ones visible in both Turbine Halls.