curved curtain and modular furniture reshape shanghai interior workshop and pop-up

The workshop, designed by Atelier Siyu, occupies a narrow volume measuring approximately 6.3 by 14 meters. North-facing windows overlook an adjacent residential building, while an east-facing sliding opening frames a tree outside, extending the visual field of the interior toward the courtyard and surrounding landscape. This relationship between interior and exterior informs the spatial organization, with the tree becoming a central reference point within the design.

A curved curtain acts as the primary spatial interface, introducing a continuous boundary within the compact footprint. It organizes the program into entry, reception and meeting, workspace, and storage areas while softening the linearity of the existing plan. The spatial sequence is defined by alternating conditions of enclosure and openness. Near the east-facing window, a circular table creates a pause point aligned with the changing area, connecting everyday use with views of the exterior.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

The interior furniture system combines off-the-shelf metal shelving with layered board surfaces. Standardized components are rearranged to function simultaneously as workstations, storage, display units, and spatial partitions. Rather than adding new elements, the system relies on reconfiguration and reassembly, incorporating flexibility and budget control into the design approach. The curtain, detailed with stitched outlines derived from the geometry of the existing windows and finished in two signature brand colors, becomes a prominent visual element that operates both as a spatial boundary and as an expression of the brand identity.

The three-day pop-up by Atelier Siyu was installed within a typical Shanghai Lilong dwelling, where timber roof trusses, aged steel-framed windows, and an enclosed courtyard define the existing architectural setting. The design works with these elements rather than introducing a separate formal structure, allowing light, material, and existing architectural details to remain visible throughout the space.

The intervention begins with Society of Home's existing furniture system. Through a process of reordering and reinterpretation, the display components are removed from their original configuration and reassembled as multifunctional spatial elements that operate as furniture, structure, and exhibition surfaces. The resulting arrangement is integrated into the existing architectural frame, establishing a relationship between the temporary installation and the character of the dwelling.

The project blurs the distinction between use and exhibition, allowing the furniture to operate as part of the architecture rather than simply as a display system. Although conceived as a short-term pop-up, the strategy developed for the installation continues beyond its original three-day duration. The reconfiguration of the existing furniture system ultimately informs a transition toward a long-term retail environment, extending the temporary intervention into an ongoing spatial and functional framework.

Source: designboom