Arto Factum furniture store,

Fort Dunlop , Birmingham

Client: Arto Factum

Status: unrealised at present

Arto Factum is a unique retail experience combining antique furniture, contempoary designer furniture, and state of the art digital art.

Designed for a long, thin retail unit at Urban Splash's Fort Dunlop development just outside Birmingham, the design is based around a series of interventions into the space which juxtapose the heaviness of the existing building and appear to be floating. The principal 'L' shaped components which define the various furniture settings are an example of this.

...a series of interventions into the space which juxtapose the heaviness of the existing building...

These 'L' shapes reflect the building's structure, define areas, house lighting, and generally articulate the space. The gallery area is raised to make full use of the unit's impressive height, whilst a mezzanine floor provides private staff areas and a design office.

Underneath this mezzanine area is an event space and coffee bar, designed

to provide a consultation area for customers in the day, and as focal point

exhibiiton launches and special events in the evening.

The reception desk at the centre of the unit is another example of the intervention concept, appearing to float in the space whilst offering 'direction' by its form.