The Fabric Of Wood

The new Herman Miller Shop-in-Shop at XTRA’s new flagship store at Marina Square, Singapore, is a massive and intriguing structure. Occupying a 20m long by 7m wide space, the continuous surface stretches across the entire site like a sail of tensile fabric, leading the viewer from the low 3m entrance to the lofty 8m glass curtain wall at the other end. Fascinatingly, this structure is made of plywood.

It is lightweight and features very little framework, symmetrical and takes on the proportions of the iconic curves of the Herman Miller logo. The minimal surface, which reminds one of German architect and structural engineer Frei Otto’s soap film experiments, contains a series of arches that frame the entrances and connections to the rest of XTRA, the street and the adjacent café.

Pan Yicheng, Design Director of PRODUCE WORKSHOP and the designer of the space, has coined it “Fabricwood”.

Being an established multi-brand furniture retailer in Singapore, the idea of a Shop-in-Shop is a response to XTRA’s desire to showcase a comprehensive range of Herman Miller products in a space with “flagship” capacity.