Designed as a simple love letter to Melbourne and embodying this jewellery brand’s fascination with the ocean, the creation of Sarah & Sebastian Armadale has been inspired by a quote from Naoshi Arakawa, “Even in the depths of the darkest oceans, some light always pierces through.” Utilising a palette of black, in varying sheens and intensity, the store design creates a moody, immersive and playful experience where light can be focused on the smallest of elements. 

The store comprises of three simple mirrored forms housing jewellery displays and point of sale that are enveloped by an undulating cave-like landscape installation applied to the walls and ceiling. Flooring is black Japan-stained timber in a satin finish, adding a level of depth and reflection to the spatial composition. Completing the space is a hidden consultation room for private jewellery discussions. Lighting is kept direct on the jewellery pieces and hand-blown smoke grey glass pendants with colour changing bulbs create colourful uplight effects when the store is closed and amplifies the store’s association with the ocean – a coral reef created by light is implied by this gesture.

Sustainably, the new interior additions to the store are able to be 100 per cent recycled, unlike other more traditional retail spaces, the wall and ceiling treatments, joinery substrates and joinery cladding are able to be removed and recycled or re-used.

The store was designed as an urban gesture and artwork, giving back to the street and the city of Melbourne. It is a retail space that is designed to prompt a sense of discovery, and through its use of biophilic design principles gently reminds the customer of larger issues to do with the fragility of our planet.

Furniture: Coco Flip Design studio. Lighting: Mark Douglass, Sphera. Finishes: Feast & Watson, Dulux.

Photography: Sean Fennessy