0324 THE NAXOS APOTHECARY COSMOPROF BOLOGNA 2024 EXHIBITION
Description
Cosmoprof Bologna is an international exhibition for beauty brands, held annually in Bologna, Italy, with 250,000 visitors and 3000 exhibitors from all over the world.
This event is Cosmoprof’s most popular exhibition – with a presence in 5 other major cities such as Hong Kong and Las Vegas – and has been a fixed event for the industry professionals for over 50 years. To ensure that the brand would stand out ιn this highly competitive environment, we had to make bold moves.
In The Naxos Apothecary Pavillion (25 sq.m.), the apothecary aesthetic takes over the place in an unconventional way. We attempted to create a “univocal” black cube that organically emerges from the brand’s signature shelf units. The shelf units, through their repetition, form the outer skin of the booth and at the same time delineate the booth as a distinct cube. The brand’s signature amber droppers are placed on the shelves from top to bottom. The repetitive – almost exaggerated – arrangement of the droppers further emphasizes the solidness of the booth. The dark reflections in the colored vases also lend a mystical atmosphere to the space. All other elements of the pavilion, such as the roof and the openings, follow the grid created by the shelf units. The partition walls are also lined with black metal sheets, while the floor is covered with a low pile black carpet.
The square floor plan (5x5m) allowed us to create multiple symmetries and repeat this imaginary square with the outline of the shelf units and the central display table. The display table is the stand-out element of the pavilion: a sturdy black sheet metal structure supports four white tiled surfaces. On top of that we placed a low base with drawers and a shelf, two stripped-back elements that allow the brand’s iconic objects to be highlighted: the product sampling surfaces, jars and herb cases. The composition of structures and objects creates a playful microcosmos of the brand for visitors to “navigate” in.
Finally, the details found in all The Naxos Apothecary projects could not be missing: the embossed white tiles with floral motifs, the leather details, the subtle use of wood inside the drawers and the seats that evoke old pharmacies and workshops. Subtle but fundamental elements that ensure the brand’s character and awareness.
THE NAXOS APOTHECARY
The Naxos Apothecary, the brainchild of George Korres, is the physical evolution of Greece’s oldest homeopathic pharmacy. With a wealth of experience in producing herbal products, it seeks to share the distinctive qualities of Naxian flora and local traditions with the world. Currently, the brand features three experience stores located in Syntagma, Naxos, and New York, along with shop-in-shops in prominent malls and airports globally. TRAIL [practice] was entrusted with creating a cohesive narrative for The Naxos Apothecary, one that reflects the unique character of the island while unfolding in different spatial scenarios.
The creation of a recognizable brand identity (brand ID) necessitates the synthesis of an architectural vocabulary that is subtly repeated, creating spaces within spaces, worlds within worlds. This challenge requires architecture, interior and industrial design, and graphic design to work simultaneously, bringing different scales into a sympoetic process.
Space
Space
48 sq.m.
Location
Location
Bologna, Italy [IT]
Typology
Typology
Concept
Year of Completion
Year of Completion
2024
Design Team
Design Team
Manos Babounis, Chara Marousi
Product Design
Product Design
The Backyard Lab
Graphic Design
Graphic Design
The Backyard Lab
Scaffolding
Scaffolding
GREEN SKAL
Ironmongery
Ironmongery
RENTRON, Sheet Metal Constructions
Carpentry Company
Carpentry Company
GEMISTOS, Shop+Office Design
Photography
Photography
Margarita Yoko Nikitaki












