sculptor

Sculptor is an 80 sq. m. facial massage workshop in a residential complex in Kyiv’s center. The main idea of the project was to reflect the name of the salon in the interior as an analogy to the sculptor's workshop. The goal was to accommodate five workplaces, a reception, a waiting area with a showcase, and utility rooms – a bathroom and a mini kitchen. The bathroom and the mini kitchen for staff are placed behind the mirrored wall of the reception. The mirror enhances the depth of the room and hides the utility rooms. Space opens up immediately at the entrance group. There is an exhibition podium with marble and wooden plinths displaying the products at the entrance. It refers to the sculptors' podiums where they exhibit their works and art pieces. The waiting area on the opposite side, with a bench and side tables, is designed in the same rhythm as the podium but serves for relaxation; you can have a cup of coffee while you wait for your specialist. Next, we move on to the reception, which is made of stainless steel. The main entrance lobby ends with ceiling-high wooden cabinets that stock products, open shelving, and a wardrobe. After that, we find ourselves in the main work area. Although the workshop provides cosmetic procedures, we didn’t want to create workplaces in the old "cabinet" format.

On the contrary, we wanted to keep the space open to emphasize that massage procedures are easy and pleasant, and one is free to share their emotions from the procedure with others. All the chairs are in the same space, but you quickly forget about it. Sunlight enters through the large windows, enhancing the feeling of spaciousness and accentuating the 4 m high ceiling. The wooden plank flooring was one of the essential elements of the space that remained after the dismantling. Such floors were often used for the old sculptors' workshops, so we kept them sanded and painted them white. The basis of the entire space is pure beige gypsum plasterboard with open putty joints, emphasizing simplicity and referring to the sculptor workshop interior again. Additional materials and shapes are wood, stainless steel, natural stone (marble and onyx), mirrors, and construction foam. In general, the materials sculptors work with. Wood is used as a filling natural canvas. All work surfaces of the masters and the receptionist are made of stainless steel, as a confirmation of the sterility of the work process. The stone, with its heterogeneous structure, emphasizes cosmetic products on it. We used the DIY method, building foam, as an architect's hand experiment in framing mirrors, adding an accented visual element. Curtains are made of a light linen-like texture and are attached to metal cables along the perimeter of the windows, as well as between the main hall and the entrance group. We used cables instead of classic cornices to make the space airy and lively. Zones of the entire space flow into one another with a continuous light palette, mixing warm (wood, gypsum, curtains) and cold shades (stainless steel, mirrors). We wanted to find a creative analogy to basic things in every detail, reminiscent of workshop elements, that could be made from improvised means: curtain cables, mirrors, lamps were also custom-made.