Aesop West End

Designer - John Randolph

(Randolph Designs)

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Role - Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, Construction Admin

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With a continued recognition of Portland’s historical lumber industry, Aesop West End explores a darker approach to its sibling on NW 23rd. The existing space provided a little more room to work with and the ability to pull light through the double-height windows. The use of Douglas Fir is in dialogue with the surrounding context and is finished through Yakisugi, a traditional Japanese method of wood preservation. The material is used throughout to provide visual simplicity.

 

Similar to NW 23rd, West End is focused on a repurposed trough sink that calls to the activity of the store. The patina of the metal merges with the floor becoming a display for the multiple layers of time. In juxtaposition to the sink, a saw-tooth product display system responds to the position of the store and provides movement from front to back. Aesop West End becomes a space rich in both history and experience.