COSICA BOUTIQUE CHANGSHU

In his 1899 book titled The Column and the Arch, architect William P.P. Longfellow suggests that the column, ‘for some reason, carries a greater impression of stateliness than any other architectural form’. The contemporary use of columns and colonnades can also make for such a feeling of stateliness, but they can often become symbols of wealth and power too – something we’ve seen weaponized by political figures in recent years. In its design of Coscia Changshu, All Design Studio leans into Roman antiquity not to make grand statements of dominance but, rather, to evoke a feeling a luxury befitting the nature of the garments for sale. This is largely achieved thanks to the use of decorative columns, playful chessboard tiling and sculptures. The incorporation of bright colours, metallic surfaces and playful forms, however, grounds the airy space in the contemporary moment. Straddling both past and present, Coscia Changshu offers a shopping environment that feels welcoming and accessible yet undeniably lavish.