A space in time

A space is no longer simply a space. Artists such as the Brit auteur Tracey Emin proved this when her installation of an unmade bed littered with used condoms in a London gallery catapulted her to worldwide fame. The birth of modern art along with Marcel Duchamp’s famous urinal has presented to people that art is simply not limited to the wooden frames on which the canvas is stretched in. Rather, the idea of the canvas itself and its function have gone beyond literal description and has taken on a more poetic incarnation. Art is no longer limited to technique. As Jackson Pollock strongly demonstrated in his splash paintings, it has become as abstract as the way we move.

In the realm of fashion, the marriage of prospective and retrospective thinking has conceived an aesthetic that sets a blueprint for the future but is mitigated by empirical knowledge from the past. Interestingly, this is what Chut Cuerva and Tisha de Borja of Archipelago picked up on when they created the U freestanding store in Shangri-La Plaza mall. With the support of Joel Tantoco – who oversees the young adults division of Rustan’s, which includes the U brand, and also heads its men’s department – Tisha and Chut were able to create an alternative retail space that satisfies consumer needs without sacrificing form.

"Archipelago was set up to provide complete design solutions including architecture, interiors, furniture, graphics and lighting," Chut imparts the main philosophy of the firm. "Using fresh ideas, innovative materials and a global perspective, we strive to build cutting edge, intelligent solutions for clients with attitude. One unique quality is that we are a male/female partnership. I think that men and women design in different ways and by having both genders, you get both yin and yang in the mix."

Tisha de Borja and he began working together when Tisha got the commission to do the B&B Pilates Studio at the Fort Bonifacio. Even while Chut was still finishing his master’s degree in Columbia University, his and Tisha’s collaboration proved to be most constructive and has led them to cement their partnership in Archipelago.

So what is the look of Archipelago? "I’d like to think that Archipelago does not have a formal signature. But I think we do tend to explore the same ideas within the realm of different projects, and I like that. A solution that is sought many times over, and expressed in as many ways," Tisha replies.

It also helps that they like shopping as much as the next dysfunctional credit card junkie. Citizen of the world and movie buff Chut cites his experiences as being main fodder of the store’s design. "In conceptualizing the store, we looked at active urban spaces such as airports, high speed train stations and subway systems around the world. These places always seem to be filled with movement and excitement, something that we felt would appeal to U’s young and hip clientele. In addition, the space age aesthetic in the films of the 1960s, such as Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and Roger Vadim’s Barbarella were another source of inspiration."

Of course it takes a woman to temper these lofty visions. Tisha adds, "It sounds funny, these ideas are big and you attempt to cram them into a physical space of less than 300 square meters. The thing is, you just need a premise/concept against which you can judge the validity and cohesiveness of the design."

Indeed, the result is an extraordinary space-age vision of the future seen through tortoiseshell retro shades (again the theme of prospective-retrospective). With mandarin orange borders streaking through a smooth eggshell background, its rather straightforward composition is made more significant with striking details such as doggy doors in dressing rooms (allowing customers to slide out unwanted merchandise while fitting), strategically placed niches and interesting lighting. Aside from the design references cited by Chut, the store could have easily been the architectural version of a filofax. Uncharacteristic of the tropical clutter that we are used to, the boutique is composed of neat sections that house the different brands found in the U floor, such as the house brand, Young VIP, Baby Phat, Hollywood jeans and more. Photos by Victor Consunji are mounted on the walls to add contrasting visuals to the store.

"What was more challenging was the fact that you have three different entrances to the store, so we had to design something that worked and looked good from many different angles," Chut reveals on working on the Byzantine proportions of the store. "The job was made easier by the fact that the space was not nested within the main department store. We could configure it with fewer restrictions. It was a very simple solution of separating the areas according to gender, age, and merchandise," Tisha adds in relation to the functional fashion of the store.

They have also taken in consideration of the ADD (attention deficit disorder) nation that is the youth market. Chut concurs that "in this particular market, I think a strong design that makes a powerful statement is needed to make an impression on the clientele. Young adults have such a short attention span that you almost have to shout to make an impression on them. Many stores I see, especially the larger ones, lack strong and compelling identities. Another major mistake I observed is piling the store displays with tons of merchandise without properly presenting them. We tried to design a lot of areas where merchandise can be shown and featured in interesting ways."

In addition, Tisha notes that it’s the timidity and reactionary stance of the retail industry that prevents progressive thinking. "Rem Koolhaas made his name by writing a treatise on NYC. They were hired not just to build, but to invent – new ways of shopping, new materials. It becomes as much about the place as it is about the merchandise."

In relation to the link between art and utility, Tisha shares the beauty of its exceeding nature. "Architecture is unique in that it must pass through many minds and hands before it can be realized. I felt a glow when the site engineer told us that the green on the walls was reflected on the ceiling. It thrilled me because he seemed entranced by it as well. It is elating when people who are part of the project are proud to be associated with it. We just wanted to add another dot on the landscape of built-spaces in the city. But we wanted it to be something that would contribute to the conversation of design."

Taking the maxim to heart, the young team has gone beyond the walls and into what fills the halls of the new store. "We’ve taken the U commission a bit further by designing a T-shirt collection that will hopefully be carried by the U Store in the summer. The designs are based on the 3D drawings and models of the concept store," Chut reveals on their approach that encompassed all corners of design.

Also on the drawing board for this team is an unconventional beach retreat in Batangas, and maybe if fortune goes their way a gas station cum mini-mall that they hope to create into a destination spot.

Joel Tantoco who has been responsible for turning the U brand into a household name now breathes a sigh of relief as he sees the project, which was a child of many risks, completed. "There was immense pressure to create something new and different. The escalator that brings customers to the U floor from the main department store was built from scratch. That was just one among the many challenges we embarked on in building it." Not that he was short on confidence. "I’ve been friends with Chut for a long time and I have always admired his style. This collaboration with his firm (with Tisha) just further proves how it pays to follow your gut instinct," he avers.

Now that Archipelago has elevated shopping into a higher art, our vice is, at last, justified

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U Store is located at the fifth floor of the Shangri-La Plaza Mall.