Stonelife
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Crafting an exquisite retail experience through flora
Stone Life is a display studio for natural stones and exotic decor with a focus on Balinese artefacts and globally sourced natural stones. It used to be a sparse 2-acre expanse that we transformed into a tropical paradise, putting nature at the forefront of its retail and customer experience.
Our objectives were to create an inviting environment that harmoniously integrated a diverse range of stones and marbles in a setting native to where the artefacts were typically sourced from — the lush interiors of Bali — while preserving and showcasing the site’s original neem trees as central design elements.
As visitors enter, they're welcomed by thick plantations, lawns, and pebble beds adorned with sculptures and artefacts. They proceed through an enclosed lobby which then opens up to a vast space, cleverly divided into semi-enclosed exteriors and interiors connected by a glass façade, showcasing tiles and sculptures.
With a multitude of local trees, shrubs and flowering plants and of course, the majestic neem trees, we used integrated landscape design to elevate this retail space’s experiential nature.
We chose one neem tree as the center of attraction of the entire property. Circling it is a mirror pool that reflects the tree’s wide crown and the surrounding artefacts, while also being a rainwater harvesting system and heat sink. We added function to form, using a core decorative element of the outdoors as a cooling mechanism for Hyderabad’s semi-arid climate, making the interiors more breezy and comfortable.
Key Figures
The use of materials like stepping stones, gravel, and contrasting artificial lawns with tropical plant palettes intrigues visitors and blends seamlessly with the ever-changing product displays.
