In 2008 clothier Issey Miyake approached Ball-Nogues Studio to redesign their store on Madison Avenue in New York. Given a limited budget, the ceiling was of primary interest to the client. Aiming to create a design that grew from a method of production, we conceived a ceiling made of thousands of individual hanging metallic ball chains organized into interweaving “flows.” The ceiling was to have a sculptural presence overhead: at times, the flows drooped downward to become obstacles for shoppers, while at other times, they formed an atmospheric haze. Suspended between the hanging chains was a flexible clothing display system that floated throughout the store. The ceiling was to establish a new identity for the store from the street while drawing shoppers into the boutique to explore. Our design concept, rooted in consideration of the parameters of material and fabrication paralleled Miyake’s interest in clothing designs evolving from their processes of production.
Principals in Charge: Benjamin Ball, Gaston NoguesProject Team: Andrew Lyon, Will Trossell, Ben Dean, Mark Bowman, Mike Ferrante
Custom Software Development: Sparce Studio
