Acne Studios' new brutalist headquarters
Former Czechoslovak Embassy in Jan Bočan hosts Swedish brand creativity
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November 19th, 2019
November 19th, 2019
Acne Studios opens Floragatan 13, the new headquarters that takes its name from the street in Stockholm where it is located. The building, which previously housed the Czechoslovak embassy, was designed by Czech architect Jan Bočan and completed in 1972 in the brutalist style. The 10 floors of the structure have been renovated respecting the aesthetics of Eastern European modernism typical of the period of the Cold War, but updating it with a twist more playful and "warm" according to the meaning of the acronym "ACNE": Ambition to Create Novel Expressions (ambition to create new forms of expression).
"When we started looking for a new building, I designed the way fashion design works." - Jonny Johansson, Creative Director of the brand, said: "I wanted the fashion arteries run, with a building that captures a constant advancement, a place dedicated to experimentation. Now that we have created this space, I feel proud that we have completed a project together."
The design and production spaces (fitting room, design studio, atelier, fabric archive) occupy the four central floors of the headquarters, while the entrance celebrates the work of the Acne team by displaying their creations as if they were art installations. Every detail, from the library on the ground floor to the cafeteria, from Johansson's office to the meeting room with its comfortable seating area and fireplace, has been designed to encourage conviviality and the relationship between the various departments of the company.
Floragatan 13's aesthetic is a reflection of Acne Studios' identity and, as such, enhances creativity in all its forms. For example, world-renowned artist Max Lamb has created a number of customized furnishing and decorative elements such as stone seating for the entrance, a metal table for the bookcase, lively carpets and a round table, a tribute to the Viking people, for the meeting room. Daniel Silver, on the other hand, has created a vast series of abstract collages dedicated to each individual space, incorporating remnants of Acne Studios fabrics collected over the years, while Benoit Lalloz has created the light installations found throughout the building. Johansson stressed that the headquarters is almost a living organism, constantly changing:
"Acne Studios is constantly evolving and I want this space to evolve with us. We will continue to add details in the coming months and years. I think design is alive, whether it's fashion or architecture."
