HEALTH
Between worlds
What will pharmacies be like in future? Perhaps something akin to the surreal-looking set-up in mint green by Sergio Mannino for the online “Medly Pharmacy.” Here the flooring displays a graphic tile design featuring pill shapes, while the minimalist metal shelves accommodate a white armada of small jars and tins, uniformly displaying the pharmacy’s logo. The multidisciplinary design studio realized the store concept across 176 square meters in New York’s Williamsburg district. The spatial impression at 104 Graham Ave is defined by the Bisazza cement tiles “Semilla Menta” by Jaime Hayon. A customized lighting concept with numerous LED luminaires and a globe suspension luminaire designed especially for the project illuminate the space perfectly.
Whereas the sales area radiates a clear-cut, calm atmosphere, the space behind the concealed door leading to the lab is buzzing with activity. Here, customer orders placed via app are taken. Moreover, doctors can send their prescriptions directly to the pharmacy using the mobile communication. If necessary, medicines can then be mixed and either mailed to the patient or readied for collection. Even if many of the processes take place online, interpersonal communication in the sales area plays an important role. Indeed, customers can get personal advice at the counter made of cement, whose color alternates between green and white. While they wait for their order, customers can relax in comfortable four-seaters with a chrome frame and dark-green imitation leather upholstery. The seating created by Sergio Mannino Studio is inspired by the works of Japanese designer Shiro Kuramata, who succeeded in combining postmodern design principles with the traditional aesthetics of his culture.
