Tang Xiao

The Platform brief was to design an outlet for the small, London based, independent optician brand Cubitts – the modern spectacle maker. In addition to the usual retail and optical examination services Cubitts offer an exclusive bespoke service which is potentially the most interesting aspect of the brand’s offer meeting the individual customer’s wildest demands. Currently the bespoke service is rather undersold with little presence physically instore or digitally online so in response this design proposal is concerned with creating an environment solely focussed around Cubitts’ bespoke offer. As each bespoke frame is individually handcrafted to each customer’s requirements the interior is comprised of two main facilities. One arch houses the customer consultation spaces whilst the other contains the workshop where the unique spectacles are hand crafted. The two zones each have a distinct mood and character with the workshop having a cool metallic feel contrasting with the warm timber aesthetic of the consultation spaces. The two spaces are arranged so that customers pass through and experience the workshop on their journey to the consultation area. The spatial configuration involves the excavation of the existing ground floor to create a new basement level that has a concrete lining. New mezzanine floors are introduced at ground level and within each arch a staircase connects the upper and lower levels.