Crafting beauty from local raw materials for Aesop Ponsonby

It’s a globally-recognised brand, known for its luxurious products designed to nourish, delight, and elevate our wellbeing. 

When considering new store locations, Aesop’s intention is to weave itself into the fabric of the street and “add something of merit rather than impose a discordant presence”. 

Each store is unique, with the overarching goal to always work with what is already in place. “We tread lightly with respect for the past, present and future.”

Engaged by the project’s in-house designer, based in Paris, Stone Living was tasked with introducing beautiful, textural stone to the brand’s new Ponsonby store.

“They decided on a stone colour for the project that fitted their expectations,” says Ivan Salic, director at Stone Living.

“We were able to use a local rock called greywacke. Greywacke is traditionally only used for concrete chips and road chips. This is something that has been done for the first time in New Zealand, and with that, we are changing the culture of using a solid rock for commercial purposes.”

A stone widely used as aggregate and fill in construction and roading, greywacke is characterised by its dark colour. Of the many rocks available for designer projects such as this, it’s perhaps one of the most unlikely. But with Stone Living’s expert craftsmanship, it has played a crucial role in bringing the design vision for Aesop Ponsonby to life.

With traditional stone masonry techniques, Stone Living crafts custom pieces to fit any project. Home to an impressive set of European hand tools that allow centuries-old textures and techniques to be replicated, the use of old and modern equipment allows custom solutions to be provided for architects, designers and clients for both residential and commercial spaces.

“We fabricated the main testing bench with its integrated stainless steel sinks for testing lotions and soaps in the shop,” says Salic. 

Featuring two layers of horizontal stone for the bench, each layer 110mm apart to form a shelf for the products, the bench has impressive functionality. 

“It has been designed with outlets for oil burners. Each is in the form of a square with 49 holes drilled through so that oil can evaporate and bring a beautiful scent to the store.”

Stone Living has also crafted a bespoke fragrance display cabinet with graywacke, as well as ensuite benchtops and cabinet doors.

“We pride ourselves on pushing boundaries and creating unique designs that leave a lasting impression. The Aesop Ponsonby Road project showcases our dedication to craftsmanship and attention to detail, with 14 doors and 10 drawer panels featuring a mitred top edge for both style and accessibility,” says Salic. 

“From a raw rock out of a quarry, we have turned it into something really beautiful. This job was very particular and artistic – it allowed us to demonstrate our abilities and artistry in what we can do.”

A time-consuming and demanding project, the process has taken over four months – from sourcing the rock boulders to cutting, assembling and reinforcing. 

“To keep it together, we had to reinforce every slab in the rock before cutting the slab, and then we would cut that and do the same thing again.”

Although this project involved a very particular and complex process, it has allowed Stone Living to showcase its mastery in transforming rock taken from the ground into pieces of functional art for high-end spaces.

“This is something that has been done for the first time in the country with this particular rock, which is very fragile and very brittle. It’s hard to work with; but at the same time, it’s beautiful and has made me proud,” says Salic.

If you’re looking for a beautiful stone to incorporate into your next commercial project, get in touch with Stone Living to explore the possibilities.