Weāre accustomed to seeing pharmacies as white boxes and the back corners of drugstores, butĀ KLAB ArchitectureĀ has designed a pharmacy in Athens, Greece that changes all that.
Their āplacebo pharmacyā looks like a spiraling cylinder, and could just as easily be mistaken forĀ a museum or art gallery. The octagonal shape of the existing structure was re-formed into this unique cylindrical shape āin order to create a spiral which seeks to converse with the rapid motion on Vouliagmenis Avenue, the urban artery on which the building stands.ā The faƧade is perforated using Braille, which is both reminiscent of pharmaceutical packaging and allows natural light to find its way into the interior. It also makes the pharmacy look spectacular at night and is a draw to passers by.
āKLAB Architectureās āspinā on the formerly octagonal structure is an extraordinary example of the merging of art and commerce,ā commentsĀ Billy Rose, President and Co-founder of The Agency. āThe structureās aesthetics are elegant, bold and dynamic, inviting one to, on the one hand, sit back, absorb and enjoy its artistic prowess, and, on the other hand, to come inside and partake in its commercial aspect.ā
Inside of the pharmacy, the product display on the first level mirrors the buildingās circular exterior, and a ramp up to the second level extends the exterior spiral into the interior space.
āKLAB architecture finds inspiration in the interconnection and juxtaposition of everyday things in life,ā notes the Architecture Firm, based in Greece. āIt combines the ephemeral with the diachronic, the classic with the modern, natural with artificial, large and small scales, conventional and experimental materials.ā
In 2011, at the X International Awards, KLAB Architecture won the prestigious award for Best Commercial Project 2011 for their placebo pharmacy. See more pictures in the gallery below.
photos courtesy of Contemporist
