Taking inspiration from Aesop’s existing branding expressed through its apothecary-style packaging, muted colour palette and materially rich retail interiors, I researched natural, tactile materials that align with their ethos of plant-based formulations and sensorial experience. Drawing from stone laundry washing basins I encountered in Antigua, Guatemala, I explored how softened, carved forms could sit in dialogue with industrial elements to create a balanced, grounded atmosphere.

Reference Images

3D model

The pop-up is designed for a 3 x 2m space in Coal Drops Yard, conceived as a therapeutic hand-washing experiential station.

The final design translates the ritual of washing into a spatial experience: sculptural stone basins form the focal point, their organic shapes contrasting against structured steel components. Lateral worn and rusted strips introduce a subtle ‘shower-like’ effect, lightly framing visitors and reinforcing the sensory, immersive quality of the installation.