Aesop Southland

The material finishes within the store are informed by the local housing vernacular of post-war brick veneer—an idiom that was popular in the surrounding suburbs during the mall’s original construction.

The original Southland retail centre, designed in 1968 by Melbourne architects Tompkins, Shaw and Evans, was a modernist showpiece nestled in the south-eastern suburbs of the city. Aesop Southland pays homage to this significant architectural era with a contemporary interpretation of the catenary archway that was a key feature of the mid-to-late 20th-century International Style.

Experienced as a series of rooms that unfold within the store, cavernous archways envelop the visitor, creating moments of intimacy and seclusion that contrast with the expansiveness felt at the centre of the space. Along the way, domestic furnishings invite unhurried interactions with our product range; a sumptuous upholstered lounge at the far end of the store encourages customers to treat the space as their living room.

The material finishes are informed by the local housing vernacular of post-war brick veneer—an idiom that was popular in the surrounding suburbs during the mall’s original construction. Crushed bricks, reclaimed from nearby demolition sites, are repurposed as the aggregate in render that is hand-applied to the dramatic architectural forms within the space. Tactile materials such as lime-based paint and polished stainless steel complement the innovative and yet nostalgic wall texture.