Shoe brand Veja’s Brooklyn store by local studio Office JDY features lime-plaster walls and displays, exposed brickwork and an outdoor courtyard wrapped in red-coloured wood.
The French footwear company’s Williamsburg space was outfitted to reflect its “sustainability-focused ethos and minimalist aesthetic”, according to Office JDY.
The studio left much of the single-storey building’s original materials untouched, exposing red bricks, concrete blocks and plasterwork across two walls in the open sales floor.
Another wall and a stepped display in front were covered in a custom lime plaster mix developed in collaboration with local craftspeople.
A single white shelf with a C-shaped section is affixed to the brick surface opposite, displaying more pairs of trainers along its 37-foot (11.3-metre) length.
“The resulting amalgamation of different colors and textures serves as a background to the white sales surfaces, which are the only ‘new’ finishes in the store,” said Office JDY.
Rectangular solid white oak benches for shoppers to use while trying on shoes are arranged across the buffed concrete floor.
The same wood variety forms a counter and storage for a repair shop in the back, which offers to mend Veja products and other shoes.
The building’s masonry exterior was repainted, and a large storefront window and pivot entrance door were installed “to provide a dramatic view into the space”, the studio said.
An adjacent courtyard was also transformed to host outdoor events and activations, using red-hued wood panels, globe-shaped lights and a pergola.
“Brightly painted and oversized shingles contrast with the calm interior and enclose two storage areas, while the new pergola structure in the rear of the yard incorporates retractable shades,” said Office JDY.
Veja was founded in Paris in 2004, but didn’t open its first dedicated retail space until 2023.
Like the Brooklyn location, this store in Madrid was designed to look intentionally unfinished by Plantea Estudio.
Williamsburg is a popular spot for apparel retailers, with brands like Everlane and Kith also maintaining outposts in the neighbourhood.
The photography is by Eric Petschek.
Project credits:
Architecture: Office JDY – Yannik Neufang, principal; Daniel Selensky, principal; Pej Gombert, designer
Interior design: Office JDY (same team as above)
MEP engineering: Collaborative Engineering Office – Simon Looi, principal
Lighting design: The SEED – Golsana Heshmati, principal; Lindsey Dieter, design director and project manager; Sarah Gentile, designer
Construction: 212 Renovations Group
Millwork/cabinetry: 212 Renovations Group
Plaster: Kamp Studio
