NailSpot

As part of the new development at the interface of Prague's Strašnice and Žižkov, we designed a branch of a manicure and pedicure salon. The program itself is ordinary, yet almost unfamiliar to us. The unexplored typology became a welcome challenge and the foundation of dynamic collaboration with a client who guided us through the choreography of the entire operation.
At the center of this performance is the visitor and their experience, which aims to draw them away from the mundane. We simultaneously designed the dramaturgy and the scenery of each act—from the reception to the long manicure table, elevated thrones for the pedicure stations, and the restrooms and back areas behind a curtain formed by the curved mass of the room for clients requiring more privacy. All shapes and layers are designed to draw each movement through the space, pulling the visitor deeper into the theatre of the salon.
Into a theatre on the edge of shadow play, powered by backlit fiberglass on the internal partitions as well as the work lights of each station—spotlights on the individual stars of the performance. The space is literally curved by light, and its real dimensions vanish. Light is both matter and material at the same time.
Other materials and colors retreat to a position of warm simplicity and light tones. Haptically expressive elements, such as upholstery or wood, are reserved for those parts of the interior that directly serve or are presented to clients. The palette emphasizes the care for the space and the comfort of the visitor—values that the client perceives as an integral part of the service understood as a holistic experience.