Lucas y Hernández-Gil references "classical world" for Laconicum store interior

Spanish studio Lucas y Hernández-Gil has completed a cosmetics store in Madrid featuring exposed wooden pillars and a material palette intended to evoke the calming atmosphere of an ancient Roman sweating room.

Laconicum, a beauty product retailer, approached Lucas y Hernández-Gil to design its first permanent physical store on Madrid's Piamonte street.

Laconicum store interior — Lucas y Hernández-Gil has completed a Laconicum store in Madrid featuring exposed wooden pillars

The company had been impressed by the studio's playful renovation of a rural guesthouse and set a brief calling for a space that offers its customers a unique and memorable experience.

Laconicum's name references a dry sauna-like space found in ancient Roman bathhouses, which informed an interior design focused on the idea of beauty as a kind of elemental ritual.

"The project approaches care as a civilising gesture, as a form of culture that has its roots in the classical world," the studio told Dezeen. "We wanted to evoke this concept but bring it into our language and use of colour."

The unit was previously occupied by a flooring showroom and was initially stripped back to its bare shell, revealing original details, including pine pillars that were then incorporated into the scheme.

Curved table within the Madrid store by Lucas y Hernández-Gil — This includes large light fixtures that recall the circular openings in the ceilings of these round rooms

"The pillars help to structure the space and create a dialogue with the materials used in the rest of the elements," the studio added.

"The premises are narrow and elongated, and these columns establish a sequence of two spaces and function as a large door."

The interior includes several references to the Roman laconica, including large light fixtures that recall the circular openings in the ceilings of these round rooms.

Deep green walls — Limewash paint in a deep laurel-green hue helps to create a serene environment

Limewash paint in a deep laurel-green hue helps to create a serene environment, while the wall-mounted displays are laid out in a regular rhythm that brings a sense of order to the space.

The bespoke metal and wood display units evoke the minimalist works of American artist Donald Judd and provide space for presenting perfumes and cosmetics, with built-in mirrors adding a practical detail.

At the centre of the room, custom-made tables with pink Estremoz marble tops and metal frames introduce organic shapes that contrast with the more structured shelving.

The 30-square-metre retail space features a micro cement floor and additional storage made from wire mesh. A service counter in one corner is furnished with a bright-orange armchair developed by Lucas y Hernández-Gil's sister studio Kresta Design.