Maesa Morado Store | Lantavos Projects

The dense building network, in the center of the town of Mykonos, known as Chora, hides sometimes interesting surprises that may not be distinguishable at first glance.

The two storey corner building, at one side of a narrow passage, on the ground floor that now stands the first store of Maesa Morado company, presented a hidden dynamic, despite its short distance from the main commercial front.

The design approach seeks the spatial concepts and qualities of an art gallery, rather than typical retail space. The handmade artifacts that are available for sale, with their distinctive character, balance and harmonize with the space.

The small ground floor is conceivably divided into two subsets by an arcade, a characteristic structural element of local traditional architecture, which is highlighted by the use of lighting spots, at its base.

Furthermore, the furnishings delimit two zones, an elevated, as the principle for the display of jewelry and accessories, and a lower for their arrangement and storage.

Two white translucent metallic stands that dominate the space, acting as a natural background for the display of the artifacts. These are borrow the geometry of a kite while simultaneously withdraw in mind the image of the impeller of a windmill, an image linked to Cyclades and the Greek summer, not through a process of mimicry, but of subconscious reference.

The custom designed prismatic lights on the inside as well as the suspended lantern on the entrance, constitute noticeable compositional touches of the identity of the store.

The complete reconstruction of the façade preserved the originality of vernacular Cycladic architecture. The change in the color of windows and doors that follow internal furniture, with a difference in tonality, was considered critical, thus create a unity in the image of the whole.