ILO Living’s first shop and showroom can be found on Wukang Road, a popular shopping destination in Shanghai. The space itself is located inside a former bunker – a cold, dingy, and subterranean concrete void. In converting the bunker, Yatofu sought solutions to invite warmth and cast brightness into the dark and neglected space.

A palette of warm and natural materials was chosen along with bold and fresh hues to transform the space into a vibrant and cheerful retail space, creating a memorable experiential contrast to the coldness and darkness associated with its former purpose.

Upon approaching the space, a dramatic terracotta-coloured entrance first greets the visitors, serving as a portal into the bright and effervescent interior of the shop space.

A highly pigmented and luminous hand-stained yellow wood veneer was selected to serve as the eye-catching focus material in the main room, covering the large voluminous shelving blocks that punctuate the structure of the space.

The secondary room in the back was given a more soothing and cosier vibe by switching out the bright yellow veneer for natural wooden panelling. A muted mint-green micro-cement flooring was applied throughout the space to bring cohesiveness as well as adding playfulness to the overall atmosphere.

ILO Living’s retail concept brings warmth, light, and energy to a previously forgotten space. It showcases the influential effects of approaching spatial design through the bold use of colours and materials as an interpretation of emotion.

Branding & Visual Identity: Tino Nyman
Interior photography: Wen Studio
Still-life photography: Aleksi Tikkala
Still-life stylist: Piia Emilia