In early 2008, Flinders Lane was an opportunity for us to explore the usage of cardboard in a retail environment. We were eager to prove that the material is hardwearing and fitting for the retail environment - an environment that is constantly changing as quickly as the lease renewal.

After experiencing some of our earlier cardboard projects and eager to benefit from a busy shopping period, Aesop approached us with a simple brief; to make it from cardboard and have it open in one fortnight....

After a week of design and documentation, the fit-out took just five days to construct. While the clock ticked, our staff folded, constructed and mounted 3000 cardboard boxes into counters and an adjustable shelving wall. The boxes sourced are the exact type used by Aesop to ship their product bottles around the world, a box which of course is 100% recycled and recyclable. In addition to that and inspired by site visits to the cardboard factory on previous projects, stacked industrial-grade cardboard is used to form the serving counter, display shelves and eastern wall of the store.