STUDIO 4/301 unveils Yeyeland Shanghai store: Fiberglass, resin
STUDIO 4/301 has completed the 240 m² Yeyeland Mineral & Dessert Concept Store on South Wulumuqi Road in Shanghai. The project integrates translucent fiberglass panels into the facade and throughout the interior, alongside resin flooring with embedded minerals and stainless steel fixtures. This design approach creates a commercial environment for mineral retail and dessert service by translating geological processes into spatial organization and material language.
Shanghai Project Integrates Geological Themes with Modern Materials
STUDIO 4/301 has finished the Yeyeland Mineral & Dessert Concept Store in Shanghai, located on South Wulumuqi Road. The 240 m² space combines mineral collecting, retail display, and dessert service. The design uses a sequence of fiberglass, resin, stone, steel, and stucco elements to reference geological processes.
The interior layout and material choices aim to evoke exploration and mineral formation. The project occupies the ground floor of an existing building, integrating new elements while acknowledging the original pink-grey granite facade and masonry features.
STUDIO 4/301 inserted a rectangular portal of translucent fiberglass panels within the building’s original arch, creating a contrast between the coursed stone and the veined, cloudy fiberglass surface. Concealed LED lighting illuminates the fiberglass portal at night.
Interior Layout and Central Rock Installation Define Space
The store's irregular footprint is divided into two areas: an entrance zone for mineral display and retail, and a rear zone for desserts and seating beneath a suspended canopy. This division suggests a relationship between an excavation site and a research shelter. The retail hall features curved fixtures that guide visitors without creating enclosed aisles.
A central rock formation, split into suspended and floor-rising masses, anchors the first zone. Between these masses, a slim glass-and-stainless-steel vitrine displays a mineral specimen, simulating its exposure within a fractured geological layer. This installation provides orientation from both the street and the interior.
Crescent-shaped counters and a semicircular area allow for flexible display configurations for collections and temporary installations, accommodating changes in display density without disrupting primary circulation.
Fiberglass, Resin, and Stainless Steel as Core Material Language
Translucent fiberglass serves as a primary material throughout the project, appearing on the street facade, in backlit display walls, and in freestanding retail fixtures. Its depth comes from fabrication artifacts like trapped air bubbles, cloudy striations, and variations in translucency, which are intensified by backlighting.
The pale resin floor extends the exhibition concept, embedding mineral fragments and recessed lights to suggest deposits. Material testing informed the selection of stable specimens such as fluorite, obsidian, quartz, tiger’s eye, and lazurite, as some minerals reacted with the resin.
Industrial elements, including 8 mm stainless-steel support plates, exposed hex-head screws, steel rods, and adjustable circular shelves, balance the geological references. The display system uses thin stainless-steel plates supporting quarter-circle fiberglass units, assembled with visible mechanical connections, allowing for adaptable layouts.
Design Implications for Asian Retail and Material Specification
The Yeyeland project by STUDIO 4/301 demonstrates a specific approach to retail design, leveraging materials like translucent fiberglass and mineral-embedded resin to create a themed environment.
For procurement directors and specifiers in Asia, this project highlights the potential of fiberglass as both a facade and interior finish, offering varied translucency and light diffusion. The use of resin flooring with embedded natural materials provides a durable and visually distinct surface, though requiring careful material compatibility testing.
The adaptable stainless steel display systems offer a flexible solution for showcasing diverse product categories. This project provides a reference for integrating natural themes with industrial materials in commercial spaces, particularly for specialized retail or concept stores across the region.
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