Project team
Aotea's flagship experience centre in Commercial Bay, Auckland, designed to reflect the textured landscape of Great Barrier Island, offering a serene escape from urban life while showcasing locally crafted therapeutic skincare products.
Aotea is a local maker of therapeutic skincare, inspired by indigenous knowledge of NZ native flora & fauna.
All products are extracted, formulated & bottled by hand on Aotea, Great Barrier Island.
Wonder was approached to design & fit out their flagship experience centre in Commercial Bay, Auckland City.
Inspired by the unruly & textured landscape of the island, the interior is a thoughtful refuge from inner-city madness.
Silver in Retail Environments — Best Awards 2020
Honey-toned walls softly cocoon guests, a subtle nod to the native mānuka and kānuka honey extracts within Aotea’s products.
Hand-raked plaster is used to achieve a deep colour profile, refracting the warm lighting with texture. All visible surfaces have been treated with patina, with the intention that the space will wear in and become better with age.
The communal wash basin basin is formed with rusted corrugated iron, inset within a honey-tinted concrete slab poured in situ.
Reminiscent of the many weathered sheds that dot the island, with plumbing fixtures alluding to the outdoor utility benches tucked behind most Aotea houses.
The central kauri table doubles as both retail display & consultancy space, spanning over three meters in length.
Tama Toki (founder of Aotea) retrieved the tree from the water after it naturally fell off the northern cliffs of Te Hauturu-o-Toi (Little Barrier Island) over 20 years ago.
Awards
Silver in Retail Environments
Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awardws
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