Offworld

Unabashedly inspired by the Bladerunner vibe of modern-day Bangkok, we created a visionary salon concept that not only provided the most fashion-forward hairstyling in Thailand but was also a gathering place for artists, musicians and style influencers from around the world.

Whitespace partnered with a visionary young Thai entrepreneur with a brief to create a radically new salon concept. Our scope was to look at the entire business with fresh eyes- to create something radically new.

During our research and discovery stage- we looked at salons around the world. We realised that the com-mon characteristic for all of them was the appearance of a hall of mirrors. So our first decision was to eliminate mirrors from our design.

The goal for a mirrorless salon led our creatives to the invention of the first interactive digital mirror (a true innovation in 2007). Not only did it allow us to create a completely new look for the salon- but the system afforded myriad functionality from customer entertainment to capturing the styling process for use in the on-premise stylist academy, to creating a visual database for customers’ online accounts and customer relationship management going forward.

Other innovations, inspired by Bladerunner sci-fi, included an infinity star-gazing experience for the sham-poo area using techniques from museum planetariums. Fragmented reflective metal was used as a ceiling treatment, and photo studio soft-lights were used for their face-flattering light quality as well as the visual impact on the space.