Research Post One

John Pawson was born in 1949 in York, England. He graduated in architecture from the Architectural Association (AA) in London and also opened his own studio in 1981. His architectural style is minimalist and inspired by the spirit of Oriental Zen. Furthermore, he always seeks an architectural atmosphere in every project, such as a monastery, a house, a pan or a ballet. He consistently focuses on core elements such as space, light, materials, proportion, form, geometry, repetition, and ritual in his works.

One of his most famous works is the Valextra Flagship Store in Milan. According to Yinjispace (2026), John Pawson designed it as a gallery-like space, combining minimalism, elegance, and luxury in his own spatial philosophy. One interested thing is Pawson's use of color and materials. According to Dezeen (2019), he applied his characteristic limited color palette to create a “flexible canvas,” with the whole surface of the storefront and three rooms covered in light gray plaster. His aim was to harmonize the wall color with the Ceppo di Gre stone flooring. This allowed him to create a gallery-like interior, one that is built on color with controlled lighting and suspended elements finished with plaster, as described by Urdesignmag (2019). Furthermore, Urdesignmag (2019) also mentioned that his use of a monochromatic color palette in the architectural space helped to make the space solemn yet minimalist.

After researching this project, I was very impressed with the Pawson's use of interior color to highlight products. Therefore, I would like to experiment with my own project. The main color in my project is red, as it's the original color of the Curve Theatre. However, I will decrease the tone of red to use it as a backdrop for other furniture items like tables, chairs, and the bar. Besides that, I will use colors like gray, white, and beige for the furniture. It will maintain a minimalist concept while still standing out thanks to the red walls of the Curve Theatre. Additionally, I will use lighting to draw attention to the furniture that I want to be the main point. 

Reference: 

           Yinjispace.com, 2026, www.yinjispace.com/profile/John-Pawson.html. Accessed 6 .May 2026.

           Yinjispace.com, 2026, www.yinjispace.com/article/John-Pawson-Valextra-s-Milan-Flagship.html. Accessed 6 May 2026.

            Levy, Natasha. “John Pawson Completes Gallery-Style Interiors for Milan’s Valextra Store.” Dezeen, 20 May 2019, www.dezeen.com/2019/05/20/valextra-milan-store-minimal-interiors-john-pawson/. Accessed 6 May 2026.

                        Urdesignmag. “Valextra Flagship Store Milan / John Pawson — Urdesignmag.” Urdesignmag, 21 Feb.              2019, www.urdesignmag.com/valextra-flagship-store-milan-john-pawson/. Accessed 6 May 2026.