Aesop Getreidegasse, Salzburg
Austria
Aesop Getreidegasse takes inspiration from Salzburg’s opulent Baroque architecture and rich connection to classical music. The store is situated within the fourteenth-century Gritzenbergerhaus on Getreidegasse, close to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birthplace.
The façade appears as a stage: shelves hover in the large windows in front of exuberant, ochre-coloured velvet curtains. Two artworks of dancers made from dried flowers and leaves, found at a local antiques market, grace the entrance. Once inside, oiled oak panels line the walls in a reinterpretation of local salons such as Café Tomaselli, established in 1703 and serving coffee to this day. A four-metre-long basin hewn from Nagelfluh, a local conglomerate stone associated with the Miocene age, plays in counterpoint with Salzburg’s geological base and holy-water fountains.
The second movement of the space is defined by a dramatic, pre-existing arched vault—brought to life by a dynamic up-lighting system. An expansive, solid oak counter emulates the three-legged form of ancient Cembalo instruments, on which Mozart composed great works. Another row of velvet curtains signal an intermezzo between front and back of house—the third sequence of the space is narrower and condensed with a desk, meeting space, and amenities.
Images and Text: Courtesy of Aesop
