BWL Kuala Lumpur
Serene Convergence
After the successful design of Best World International's headquarters in Singapore, the premium skincare and wellness company returned to Bean Buro to design a branch for their direct selling network, BWL, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Totalling 7,950sqft, the brief called for a welcoming retail sales lounge and showroom, as well as an employee training room and back office. The front of house would celebrate the growing BWL brands through an inspiring showroom that engages with customers through a supported journey. The scope would also include a playful ‘Instagram corner’ to encourage unique social media stories by both customers and employees alike. Our design aims to bring together nature, wellness, and human connection in a harmonious and restorative space.
The Narrative: Weaving the Threads of Nature and Wellbeing
In line with our previous project with the client, we drew upon nature and wellness as the guiding force of our design narrative. Drawing inspiration from the beauty of nature and its transient qualities, the design incorporates organic shapes and reflective finishes, resulting in a space that offers infinite reflections and evokes a sense of poetic ambiance.
The Process: Orchestrating Spaces of Delight and Productivity
We worked hand in hand with the client to develop a solution that would instil a memorable experience for customers, while allowing spaces dedicated for employee training and focused working. The process involved extensive research, exploration, and crafting of various materials and joinery aspects to achieve the desired aesthetic and functional goals.
Customers would be able to enjoy a relaxing waiting area by the reception, an engaging sales lounge, an interactive ‘Instagram corner’, private product testing rooms, and a hospitality-inspired drinks pantry. The retail area would include a variety of display spaces for our client to showcase their products. Meanwhile, employees are provided with comfortable and productive training facilities and a back of house office area which includes private offices and a pantry.
Taking the building’s orientation into consideration, we devised a layout that ensured plenty of daylight for both the retail area and back office for a pleasant atmosphere.
“Building on the design approach from our previous collaboration with the client, we centred our narrative around the themes of nature and wellness. The client's dedication to promoting a healthy lifestyle is reflected through the incorporation of organic forms and a colour scheme inspired by natural elements.”
— Lorène Faure, co-founder of Bean Buro
The Solution: A Journey of Sensory Discovery
As visitors enter the space, their attention will be immediately drawn to a stunning exhibition-style feature wall. Constructed from a vibrant turquoise metal mesh, this wall serves as a backdrop for a carefully curated display of skincare products. It’s a visually captivating way to celebrate the brand and create a memorable first impression for visitors. The central feature of the space is an eye-catching, curvy display table island made in a stainless steel with a mirror finish. Above is a bespoke wavy ceiling light with the same pattern reflected on the floor with a metal in-lay, drawing visitors’ attention to the island, and creating a sense of organic movement that guides customers through the space.
The sales area is designed to promote relaxation and well-being with discussion areas, calming colours, and natural elements. The waiting area includes a round coffee table with chairs and a lounge furniture set for customers to use while waiting to be served. Display niches in and wall mounted metal trays are used to display individual products.
The vibrant ‘Instagram corner’ is located beyond the waiting area and showcases large sculptures of the company’s products on a platform resembling a stage. The walls feature curved mirrors that create an illusion of connected doorways. Visitors are encouraged to capture photos with the sculptures and share their experience on social platforms. Additionally, there are comfortable rooms known as “self-testing pods” where customers can privately test products in front of a large LED-lit mirror and a sink.
Further into the floor plate, a combination of display plinths and seating platforms adds depth and visual interest to the space, enhancing the overall retail experience. These structures, with their organic shapes, green hues, natural timber surfaces and mirror finishes form an inviting and intuitive environment for customers. To enhance the hospitality of the sales room, we have designed a pantry that not only functions as a beverage and catering station but also doubles as a product display. The pantry has a clean and refined design, with a sleek copper stainless steel finish that adds a touch of elegance to the space.
“By integrating bespoke elements, biophilic design, and acoustic considerations, we created a cohesive space that not only celebrates the client's brand but also fosters a sense of community, growth, and harmony between customers and employees.”
— Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui, co-founder of Bean Buro
The sales lounge opens to a training room where sales representatives are trained, and lectures and events are held. We used fluted glass partitions to contain the room, offering a sense of privacy while allowing the spaces to still feel interconnected. The training room features decorative wall lighting and acoustic panels are installed in the ceiling to absorb excess noise. A seating platform encircles the training room volume for more informal interactions between employees and customers. We used a mirror effect to create the illusion of a continuous volume while effortlessly making the space to feel even larger and airier.
The back office is concealed behind the training room and predominantly utilises timber to create a more neutral environment for focused working. We designed a collaboration bar island with built-in plants to enhance employee wellbeing and foster a sociable atmosphere.
The Materials: Painting with Nature’s Palette
To respond to our design narrative inspired by nature and wellbeing, we put together a soothing palette of natural tones and lightly textured surfaces. Textured paint is heavily used throughout the project for a subtly invigorating effect, while reflective metals are used in a controlled manner to add a touch of sophistication. The front of house features soft pops of colour for a refreshing mood and feel. For example, a coral colour inspired by sand dunes is used in the ‘Instagram corner’ and ‘self-testing pods’, and refreshing blue-green hues evocative of aquatic plants is used in the reception and showroom areas.
Bespoke Elements and Biophilic Design
We created a bespoke artificial skylight above the display tables in the sales lounge to highlight the client's skincare products, while also adding a sense of vastness and airiness to the space. Biophilic elements are integrated in the form of plants, in both the front and back of house, for increased wellbeing. Acoustic considerations were made in the training room and open office where we integrated acoustic ceiling tiles and panels for enhanced comfort and productivity for the employees.
Bean Buro team: Lorène Faure, Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui, Geng Tian, Joanne Lee, Justine Wu, Michael Wong, Patrick Wiejoyo
Main contractor: SIC (SUPERB IMPRESSION CREATIONZ SDN. BHD.)
Client: BWL
Photography: BricksBegin