An Ko Rau
An Ko Rau is the urban athletic-wear label born under the creative umbrella of the Chinese fashion-house, Zuc Zug. The label approaches design from the lens of research both into historical athletic wear and current urban fashion to create cleverly detailed, and technologically advanced garments that can be worn both at play and on the street.
ATLAS was asked to design An Ko Rau’s first individually branded store in Shanghai. To develop the concept, archival research was done into early and mid-twentieth century gymnasium culture and exercise equipment. The idea was to work with the physical language of robust, flexible structures designed at the scale of human calisthenic activity to develop the architecture and functionality of the space. Secondly, research was done into innovative new materials that could be utilized in the store that would be both highly tactile and responsive to human movement. Recycled composite rubber, elastic to the touch and used in gym flooring was made three-dimensional and used for furniture pieces throughout the space. All display elements were made interchangeable and transformable as equipment so the store could be constantly adapted to changing use. Lastly, a custom designed tent was commissioned to act as a new spatial element and the store’s fitting room.
