When it comes to architectural shopfitting, size is not always the defining factor. In the heart of the international city of Geneva, nestled within 35 square meters, lies a treasure trove of culinary delights – Les Férus, a tiny cheese shop that offers a unique and immersive experience. Designed to be a contemporary affinage cellar, this project, crafted by the young hospitality consults & architects at HOXAR STUDIO, showcases how design can merge with the essence of the product to create a memorable impact.
Les Férus sets the stage with a simple yet powerful design concept: “when designing this shop, the product and produce must prevail over the design. Here, the design itself is not the gem; it’s a vessel that conveys a contemporary affinage cellar experience, highlighting fine groceries. This principle places cheese and wine at the center, allowing them to shine.”
The design layout of Les Férus meticulously erases distractions, ensuring that the spotlight remains on the star of the show – the cheese. The choice of materials and finishes revolves around a palette of mineral grey shades, ranging between Charcoal, Slate, Ash, Smoke, Graphite, Silver Fox, Mouse, Pigeon, and Pewter. These shades work together harmoniously, creating a canvas that allows the products to stand out. Vertical surfaces clad in composite cement/wood panels bring to mind traditional mountain affinage cellars. Each panel is unique, bearing different patterns and shades, showcasing the living material’s beauty.
The horizontal surfaces at a height of 90cm, including the main countertops, are crafted from solid natural oak. This choice adds a touch of warmth with distinctive grain patterns, contrasting beautifully with the cool grey tones. The pine wooden shelving in the fridge remains untreated, designed to form a patina and weather in the high humidity and low temperature conditions. The existing structural meteorite grey stone of the walls, discovered during construction, is celebrated and highlighted as part of the design layout, preserving its natural beauty.
Despite its tiny size, Les Férus has been meticulously laid out to offer a unique experience. The shop’s ceiling soars to 3.8 meters, creating a generous sense of space. Two doors on the façade, flanking a massive natural stone column, beckon customers to enter. Both doors are open to welcome customers, inviting them to explore. Shelves line the walls, filled with groceries and delicacies. The right wall, extending to the ceiling, features concrete panels shelves, while the left wall houses a 5.5-meter-long refrigerated shelf showcasing a continuous array of cheeses.
At the heart of the shop, a refrigerated counter is the center of attention. The point of sales is strategically located at one of the entrances. This particular layout eliminates traditional boundaries and enhances human interactions. “Customers and merchants can move freely, creating a seamless shopping experience.”
Moreover, in the background of the shop, a grand fully-glassed refrigerated room stands, creating an aura of transparency. HOXAR STUDIO’s efficient layout design allows customers to directly gaze upon exceptional offerings such as entire Parmigianos or towering stacks of Comté and Gouda. These goods are artfully stored on traditional-inspired cheese shelves. Customers can gaze upon the infinity of these cheese treasures awaiting purchase, adding a sense of wonder and delight to the tiny yet extraordinary space.
Influence Of The existing Of The Design Concept
Les Férus draws its inspiration from the existing, incorporating ancient stone walls discovered during construction. This integration with the context and the affinage cellar concept is what sets the shop’s ambiance apart. The somber, cellar-like feeling is accentuated by oak accents, immersing visitors in the world of cheese. There are no physical frontiers here; both customers and merchants can interact freely, forging a deeper connection with the products on display.
Shoplifting and Light
To maintain the somber atmosphere of the shop, integrated lighting is discreetly hidden in all the shelves, including the wooden shelves of the glassed refrigerated room. The focus remains on the groceries and not the architecture. “There’s no room for decorative lighting, as the essence of Les Férus is to shine the spotlight on the products themselves.”
Concrete Carpentry and Craftsmanship
One of the standout features of Les Férus is the extensive use of concrete panels, wrapping the entire space. To smoothly match the architectural design, even the stepladder was made out of this mineral material. Custom furniture, including the shelves in the glassed cool storage, is constructed from pine using the tenon mortise joinery technique. The care that has gone into both the design and craftsmanship echoes the cheese-making and fine products artisanship.
Purpose Passion & Cheese
At its core, Les Férus is a cheese shop and fine grocery store, fueled by the passion of its French owner, who sought to bring the best, most well-made, and quality products to his clients. This passion and dedication are translated into every corner of this tiny yet extraordinary space.
In the heart of the Geneva, Les Férus offers not just cheeses and groceries but a genuine experience. It’s a place where the product prevail and the customer is welcomed to explore freely. HOXAR STUDIO created a world where cheese reigns supreme, and design is its faithful servant.
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