Alquema: A Retail Interior Masterpiece

Rod Faucheux and Michelle Grimm's Award-Winning Design

The main feature of Alquema is a sculptural centrepiece clothing rack, conceptually modelled from the golden ratio. This three-dimensional form guides the customer's journey and experience through the store, creating a unique retail environment. The design team faced significant challenges during the project, with several builders claiming that the design was impossible to construct. However, the team's determination led them to find the right builder who could bring their vision to life without compromise.

Alquema is located in the heritage-listed Queen Victoria Building in Sydney's CBD, amongst other high-end fashion and luxury brands. The 75sqm flagship store was designed using 3DS Max, with a series of photorealistic renderings providing accurate radial setouts to the builder. A 1:25 nylon model was also 3D printed to help the shopfitters understand the overall shape, and a 1:1 prototype was created in the factory. The design team spent time in the metalwork factory, checking and confirming every small component piece.

The project began in May 2016 and was completed in November of the same year. Despite the complexities of constructing within a heritage-listed building, the design team was able to overcome these challenges and create a retail environment that reflects the client's love for minimalist Japan and gallery-style spaces. The result is a cohesive and uniform space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Alquema has been recognized with the Golden A' Design Award in 2017, a prestigious accolade granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations. This award is a testament to the design team's prodigy and wisdom, and their ability to advance art, science, design, and technology. The design embodies extraordinary excellence and has significantly impacted the world with its desirable characteristics.

The images of Alquema, captured by Michael Wee, showcase the design's unique properties and the successful realization of the design team's vision. The project is a testament to the power of design and technology, and the impact they can have on the retail environment.