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IRN300- Assignment 2- Essay

Alina Bungardean
Brenda Shivanandan
Calei Kasandra Maquez Garcia
Marco Kuo
Natalia Kwok
Westfalia Alejandra Ramirez


Mjlk



Mjlk is a lifestyle store and gallery space located in the Junction and targeting young and
mature professionals with a passion for good design. The main activity is to showcase works by artists
and artisans from Scandinavia and Japan. Secondary activities like temporary exhibitions, product
launches and workshops serve to further promote the designs. The store branding is a successful
combination of efficient programming, impactful product display and remarkable ambiance.

The first contact with the gallery is a modern clear glass faade with natural wood accents at the




ground floor of a white Victorian building. The modern faade contrasts with the surrounding brick
buildings and capture the attention.
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Through a big heavy glass door you enter an approx. 1500 sq. enclosed by mainly simple white
walls with a few natural wood accents, light floor and high ceiling with exposed pipes.

The layout is a simple elongated rectangle divided by functionality and by the treatment of the
ceiling into 3 main areas:
-The front gallery with freestanding displays that can be removed to transform the space for
various events (see photos of the same area different events). It has the feel and layout of a daytime
living room.








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-The gallery becomes narrower towards the middle where the ceiling drops significantly,
delineating a second area: the reception. Across from it, a bar and a kitchenette serve both as a display
feature for various kitchenware products as well as real bar for serving clients during events.





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-The last space is a lounge area with a moody atmosphere and accent lighting. It serves mainly
for displaying small lifestyle products and decorations.



The main circulation path goes straight from the entrance through the front gallery to the
reception desk, strategically placed in the middle. From here, the path continues towards the back
lounge area, turns around a counter display and returns to the front gallery. The positioning of certain
displays as well as various lighting strategies capture your attention and guide you through the space.

The entire design concept goes beyond that of a simple retail space. It becomes a subtle hybrid
between a gallery, a living space and a retail that allows for displaying merchandise in an ambient that
looks refined, yet intimate and warm.
The display of the designs objects is staged to emphasize their artistic value. This type of
presentation comes as a continuation of the store`s philosophy that good design can transform an
everyday object into a piece of art.
The holistic view of the space sends the message that the sold product is not necessarily the
individual designs but the lifestyle they all define so cohesively.