Studio DB designs cardboard shop

The consultancy started work on the Circus shop in mid-March after being appointed directly by clients Binki Taylor and Tabitha Rout, according to Studio DB director Philip Dolman. The Circus store, which opens on 15 May, will stock a variety of products old and new, up-cycled or locally crafted.

For the fittings, Studio DB has sourced 36mm recycled board, with a honeycomb core, that was developed during World War II for aeroplane construction. The card can be adapted, recycled or composted. Dolman says, ’We wanted to take the opportunity to use recycled materials in this project.

We started crawling around in skips and things, then we discovered this recycled cardboard and thought it would be perfect.’ Dolman adds that the choice was ’inspired by waste cardboard boxes from the market bundled up and ready for the recyclers’.

The cardboard perimeter shelving is flexible, while interlocking cubes are used to display products. Some boxes are wrapped in hessian to add texture and contrast, while window shelves are hung with sisal string.

The lighting features the card’s honeycomb core suspended on red fabric-covered cables. Studio DB is also developing a series of cardboard-based products to be sold in Circus, including chairs, lights and digitally generated fabric designed by Melanie Bowles.