Ofist Decorates an Istanbul Sunglasses Shop With Cork and Cars
Ofist has spent the last 14 years designing commercial and residential spaces in Istanbul, often devising custom furnishings that later become widely produced. Eye-D, a hub for independent and local frame makers, commissioned the firm for a sunglass store that would resemble the firm’s bright portfolio.
“We wanted to make something extraordinary, while keeping a human touch,” says Ofist co-founder Yasemine Arpac. Arpac and partner Sabahattin Emir hit upon an industrial palette for the 1,100-square-foot shop, introduced by concentric frames of white iron that become pegboard displays for the sunglasses and a cash-wrap desk. A canopy of cork yoga blocks, 550 in total, dangle from the ceiling, some serving as fixtures for LEDs. Cork also pops up as the top for a suspended table, around which gather Bob stools from Modus in the same material.
The designers brought the street inside with an office desk crafted from the hood of a car, along with elegant intact vehicles, including the owner’s 1962 Caterham. It idles by a back wall, said to date back to Byzantine times, along with a glass elevator that climbs two stories to the owner’s loft—also designed by Ofist.
