Store Fora Sunglasses Rato

The development of this shop, located near Largo do Rato in Lisbon, began with a commission for a display‑unit concept. The premise cantered essentially on creating a unique architectural object directly associated with the exclusivity of Fora Sunglasses’ products.
The development process began with an understanding of the spirit of the brand: an artisanal product manufactured entirely in Portugal, offering countless combinations of shapes, finishes and colours. This national variety reaches around 300 exclusive pairs of sunglasses, aiming to appeal to customers both within and beyond Portugal.
The development of the shop is the result of research carried out around the theme of product presentation, culminating in the construction of an exhibition structure along one of the side walls of the space, guided by two essential principles: flexibility in how the product is presented to the customer and the materiality of its construction.
The vast number of models led to the development of a modular display capable of presenting two hundred and sixty‑six pairs of sunglasses. A panel measuring 4.2 meters by 2.5 meters is divided into minute display units that can be opened and closed according to the brand’s needs, creating a perception of constant spatial transformation — a direct response to the daily arrival of new models in the shop.
The artisanal nature of the production process, and the image of the craftsman working each pair of sunglasses as if it were the last, one after another, led us to an in‑depth exploration of the materiality the display should embody. We chose to build the structure in untreated tola wood: a material that will oxidize with exposure to light and acquire marks through use.

Lisbon - Portugal
2016

Photography: Garcês