Aesop Houston Galleria

City: Houston Galleria, USA
Stage Involved: CS, DD, T, CD, CA
Year/ Status: 2019, Completed
Accent Material: Plaster, Colour Concrete
Client: Aesop
Project Management: Xavier
Photo Credits: Aesop

In 1961, as Cold War tensions mounted, it was announced that Houston’s Clear Lake area had been selected as the site for a new space exploration hub. The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center housed the laboratories, testing facilities, and mission control for the Apollo programme, earning Houston the nickname of ‘space city’.
The design pays homage to this history. Situated within the Galleria retail centre, it is distinguished by its curving forms and a material palette recalling midcentury industry.
A dramatic façade invites exploration, its series of horizontal panels sliding open to reveal an interior of bold geometry, neutral tones, and muted lighting. Clad in hand-applied plaster, the walls and ceiling assume a continuous presence. A centrally positioned concrete sink reprises the curved aspect of the store’s entrance.