‘kee’s chocolates redesign’ by architects slo.vis and et al. collaborative, 2012 all images courtesy the designers

kee’s chocolates has established itself as a premier destination for chocolate in new york city. after nearly ten years as a neighborhood staple, the sweet shop has commissioned architects slo.vis and et al. collaborative with the complete redesign of the soho store. a vertical wood panel system lines one wall from floor to ceiling complimented by a series of offset wooden slats creating a continuous texture from the front to the back of the store. the wooden components also provide additional storage space for chocolate boxes and other front-of-the-house items, located just behind the display cases. as the wall turns, the pattern continues, however, the back substrate of the wood slats begin to disappear, allowing for the passing of light and air into the space. the light woodwork is brightened by five pendant lamps, illuminating the carefully curated display cases below. an exposed brick wall facing opposite the renovated partition guides the customers through the store to the merchandise display cases. refrigerated glass containers for chocolates and another for macaroons are clad in wood panels decorated by laser etched with maps of the surrounding new york neighborhoods.

slo.vis and et al. collaborative started with several explorations of the design, ultimately finding that minimalism and use of natural materials proved to be a complimentary fit. ‘the challenge was creating a design that would match the quality of the chocolate, without overpowering the understated elegance that kee has established,’ says susan sloan of slo.vis architects. the building design firm was approached by kee’s chocolates last year just as slo.vis had started construction on a residential project with fellow brooklyn studio et al. collaborative. the combined strengths of the two studios was the drive for slo.vis to bring et al. collaborative as a partner to reinvent the interior of kee’s chocolates. 

kee’s chocolates by slo.vis and et al. collaborative - 2 the exposed brick wall on the opposite side of the store leads the customers through the space to the merchandise displays

kee’s chocolates by slo.vis and et al. collaborative - 3 a detailed perspective of the vertical wood panel system lining one wall from floor to ceiling in addition to a closer display decoration view

kee’s chocolates by slo.vis and et al. collaborative - 4 “the use of a city grid as a template allows an additional element of adaptability for future store locations should kee’s expand,” says manu garza of et al. collaborative.

kee’s chocolates by slo.vis and et al. collaborative - 5 slo.vis and et al. collaborative began with several explorations of the design, ultimately finding that minimalism and use of natural materials proved to be a complimentary fit

kee’s chocolates by slo.vis and et al. collaborative - 6 a conceptual sketch picturing the shop’s changed interior

kee’s chocolates by slo.vis and et al. collaborative - 7 the wooden pieces building the display case are decorated with laser-etched designs of new york city street maps

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