Mint Store

Described by Max Fraser in the London Design Guide as a ‘unique and dynamic design store’, Mint has become a fixture in the capital’s design scene. Founded in 1998, it is known for the discerning curatorial and commercial eye of its owner, Lisa Kanafani, who presents exclusive works by international designers and emerging talents, along with an eclectic mixture of furniture and objects.

For the remodelled store in London’s fashionable Brompton Cross, Paul McAneary Architects carved out the existing space and inserted structural glass floors to channel natural light down into a new basement, orchestrating a sense of drama and visual connection. A beautifully detailed staircase with rough sawn oak treads, flush glass balustrade and metal handrail is a design object in itself, elevating the act of circulation into a considered and pleasurable experience.

Synthesising modern and traditional references, the reworked timber facade experiments with the proportions of the existing Neoclassical building. And, in an ironic touch, the ground floor was originally occupied by a Bulthaup kitchen showroom designed by John Pawson, for whom Paul McAneary worked prior to establishing his own studio. The commission involved the removal of Pawson’s interior, a case of the talented pupil superseding his master. [By Catherine Slessor*]

Contract Value £200k
Location Knightsbridge, London
Client Private
Date From – 2009
Area 325m2
Design Team Paul McAneary Architects
Design Service From design concept to detailed design through to end of construction, interior design, lighting design, glazing design
Main Contractor Debowski
Supplier Direct Stone, Yello Submarine, Via Bizzuno
Press 2011 ‘Fresh as mint’, Interior Public Space, August 2011 RIBA London Directory Book 2011 2010 Max Fraser, ‘London Design Guide’, 2010 Edition