This flagship concept store for customisable eyewear brand Dresden Vision, located in Greenwich Village, NYC, is a commercial retail interior design project built around the theme of duality and optical perception. Vision conditions such as myopia and hyperopia are corrected using concave and convex lenses—forms that appear throughout the space in structure and detail. The concept also draws from heterochromia, a condition where two colours exist within the same iris, sparking the idea of a ‘Blurred’ side and a ‘Focused’ side—two contrasting atmospheres forming one cohesive retail environment. The design explores how visual processing can be translated spatially through materiality, lighting, and zoning to reflect how the eye interprets the world.
The shopfront takes cues from ocular anatomy—entry through a circular ‘iris,’ with a floorplan that mimics the path light travels to the retina (the part of the eye that converts light into visual information).
The brief called for two distinct retail experiences: a quick grab-and-go eyewear zone, and a customisation zone where customers could 3D-print frame components and select colourways before final assembly. The layout also accommodates an optometry room and flexible seating that can function as both a waiting area and demonstration space.
The ‘Focused’ side houses the customisation area. Its material palette—illuminated glass bricks, terrazzo, and aluminium—references Manhattan’s skyscrapers and gestures toward futurism. In contrast, the ‘Blurred’ side supports the grab-and-go function, drawing from the layered cultural history of Greenwich Village—burnt orange carpet, Sottssas timber veneers, and a looser visual rhythm inspired by record stores, brownstones, and tree-lined streets. At the rear sits the ‘Retina’—a slate-crazy paved zone with tiered seating used for product demonstrations or waiting with the optometrist.
Material selection is integral to the customer experience. Carpet, limewash, timber veneer, terrazzo, and glass bricks were all chosen for how they visually shift when viewed with or without lenses—appearing soft or sharply defined depending on the wearer’s perspective. The store becomes a live testing ground for eyewear, where architectural finishes support the product experience. Materials were chosen with lifecycle in mind—each element designed to be recycled, disassembled, or repurposed.
Dresden Vision - Concept Store
Retail Interior Design
Commercial | Retail - Greenwich Village NY
Retail Interior Design
Commercial | Retail - Greenwich Village NY
This flagship concept store for customisable eyewear brand Dresden Vision, located in Greenwich Village, NYC, is a commercial retail interior design project built around the theme of duality and optical perception. Vision conditions such as myopia and hyperopia are corrected using concave and convex lenses—forms that appear throughout the space in structure and detail. The concept also draws from heterochromia, a condition where two colours exist within the same iris, sparking the idea of a ‘Blurred’ side and a ‘Focused’ side—two contrasting atmospheres forming one cohesive retail environment. The design explores how visual processing can be translated spatially through materiality, lighting, and zoning to reflect how the eye interprets the world.
The shopfront takes cues from ocular anatomy—entry through a circular ‘iris,’ with a floorplan that mimics the path light travels to the retina (the part of the eye that converts light into visual information).
The brief called for two distinct retail experiences: a quick grab-and-go eyewear zone, and a customisation zone where customers could 3D-print frame components and select colourways before final assembly. The layout also accommodates an optometry room and flexible seating that can function as both a waiting area and demonstration space.
The ‘Focused’ side houses the customisation area. Its material palette—illuminated glass bricks, terrazzo, and aluminium—references Manhattan’s skyscrapers and gestures toward futurism. In contrast, the ‘Blurred’ side supports the grab-and-go function, drawing from the layered cultural history of Greenwich Village—burnt orange carpet, Sottssas timber veneers, and a looser visual rhythm inspired by record stores, brownstones, and tree-lined streets. At the rear sits the ‘Retina’—a slate-crazy paved zone with tiered seating used for product demonstrations or waiting with the optometrist.
Material selection is integral to the customer experience. Carpet, limewash, timber veneer, terrazzo, and glass bricks were all chosen for how they visually shift when viewed with or without lenses—appearing soft or sharply defined depending on the wearer’s perspective. The store becomes a live testing ground for eyewear, where architectural finishes support the product experience. Materials were chosen with lifecycle in mind—each element designed to be recycled, disassembled, or repurposed.