Aesop Canberra represents a thoughtful collaboration between the brand’s Paris‑based Store Design team and Nash Architects, who delivered Contract Administration and Project Management services locally. The design centres on a defining material gesture: 9,964 reclaimed eucalyptus shingles that wrap the store’s interior. Crafted by local furniture maker Thor’s Hammer in collaboration with builder EMAC, this application captures the space in a continuous, textural surface while celebrating sustainable reuse and regional craftsmanship.

The choice of eucalyptus carries both geographic and cultural resonance. It connects the store to the national parks that surround Canberra and echoes the city’s origins as a planned garden city by Walter and Marion Mahony Griffin, where landscape played a central role in urban identity. A key design feature—a one‑metre radius concave junction where the wall and ceiling shingles meet—subtly references Black Mountain and Mount Ainslie, the two hills that anchor Canberra’s topography.

The project also incorporates the careful relocation and reuse of the circular marble sink from the previous store, reinforcing Aesop’s commitment to considerate, sustainable design. The result is a warm, cohesive environment that reflects both its local context and the brand’s calm, crafted aesthetic.

Photography © Cieran Murphy