Internal glow Alessi's SoHo store is transformed into a sculptural light box with an Italian...

Hani Rashid's inspiration for the new Alessi flagship in New York's SoHo neighborhood came from two seemingly disparate sources. The first is the early morning mist rising above the mountains surrounding Lake Magiore in northern Italy. The second is Rashid's architectural technique of computerizing a linear mathematical formula into illuminated ribbons that would transverse the entire store from side to side.

Architect Rashid had met with the Alessi family board at their headquarters in Crusinallo, Italy, and was driving to the airport to catch a plane back to New York when the vision of the reflections on the mist translated into the soft blues and greens he imagined for the store. The means to the second concept would be developed digitally. As principals of New York-based Asymptote Studio, Rashid and Lise Anne Couture have carved a successful design practice in which, Rashid says, "The ultimate challenge is connecting the digital world to the one we actually live in."

The configuration of the space leased by Alessi for its extensive lines of contemporary products for home and office presented several constraints for Asymptote, and for Suzan Tillotson and Mark Kubicki of New York-based lighting design firm Tillotson Design Associates. Located at 130 Greene St. in SoHo, the former antique store measured 65 ft. long and approximately 19 ft. wide. Nonetheless, Alessi wanted to be in SoHo, rather than Madison Avenue or the Meatpacking District, and leased the space to house its first New York store. "We wanted something different from our other stores in major markets," says Jan Vingerhoets, executive vice president of Alessi USA. "Alessi products are often impulse purchases, so the store's design has to attract casual shoppers and foot traffic into the store. In addition, the store itself would offer an experience that is consummately Italian."

The flagship carries products from all three divisions of Alessi (A di Alessi, Alessi and Officina Alessi). With a vast product line that includes everything from whistling teakettles to designer flyswatters, the Alessi company was founded in 1921 by Giovanni Alessi. "The public here [in New York] is very aware of fine design; we are selling more higher-priced items here than in most of our other locations," Vingerhoets says.

Rashid and Tillotson collaborated to translate the initial concept scheme into a functional example of illuminated interior sculpture. To make the space come alive, nine luminous 18-in.-wide stripes are angled up the undulating north and south walls and span across the ceiling to create continuous bands of light. "We had a tight budget and tight spaces to work in," Tillotson says. "Only a 6-in. depth was available in the wall and ceiling cavities to install the lamps." A section was fitted with a luminaire from Bartco Lighting that holds three staggered rows of high color rendering T8 fluorescent striplights with integral ballasts. To diffuse the illumination, translucent Barrisol stretch polyvinyl chloride material was installed to cover the fluorescent fixtures.

Reflective surfaces throughout the store make the space appear wider. Angled walls are covered with a reflective blue vinyl. High-gloss automotive paint provides sheen to curving counters and display elements. Even the floor reflects the light stripes and accent lights, creating a subtle balancing brightness throughout the store.

"The use of reflective surfaces demands very controlled use of pin spots to highlight products without glare," says Tillotson, who also created the lighting for Prada's SoHo store at Prince Street and Broadway. She installed ceiling clusters of 37-watt MR-16 eyeball fixtures by Contech to fill in between the lighting stripes. "These fixtures were used sparingly, and in a very controlled way," she points out. "Over 20 varying aiming angles had to be predicted due to the complex angles of the architecture."

Separate lighting zones were provided for inboard and outboard lamps. A programmable control system allows the lighting to adjust to outside lighting conditions. Pole-mounted shelf supports manufactured overseas extend out from the side walls and are fitted with custom LED eyeball fixtures. "They add sparkle and a blue tone to the primarily stainless steel objects on display," Tillotson notes.

Occupying the front of the store is an Italian-style coffee bar serving espresso and coffee drinks by Joe Coffee, the award-winning West Village coffee shop. The bar utilizes Alessi's collection of glassware, espresso cups and serving items, and is the first coffee shop in any Alessi store.

Vingerhoets and store manager Kimberly Venardos developed a rotating merchandising program to present Alessi's collection of more than 3,000 products. "We can display only about a third of our lines, so virtually the entire store is changed every two weeks," Vingerhoets describes.

To date, Alessi's SoHo store design has garnered several awards for Asymptote, including an Award of Merit in the Lumen awards program.