Atelier Rebul Stores
As part of Atelier Rebul’s new store concept, the process began with a mock-up store whose architectural design was developed by Autoban. We joined this process as the lighting design team.
Rather than considering this phase solely as an implementation stage, we approached it as a comprehensive evaluation environment in which we could test how light interacts with space, materials, and products. Our aim was to define and refine the lighting language to be applied across Rebul stores by experiencing it directly on site.
Client Rebul
Architect Autoban
Location London, UK
Year 2025
The warm brown ceramic surfaces, dark wood details, and matte textures used in the mock-up store—elements that would shape the design language of future stores—provided a strong foundation for our lighting decisions. In response, we designed a balanced and controlled lighting atmosphere that supports the architectural language while highlighting the brand’s identity.
As with other Rebul stores, the mock-up store was composed of multiple zones coming together: the shop window, display units, and the end-of-axis surface perceived when viewed from the entrance and the window. For this reason, we began to approach the design both regionally and as a cohesive whole. Our lighting language was primarily based on warm tones, with 2700K as the dominant color temperature. High color rendering (CRI >90) was a fundamental criterion for us, and we maintained this standard throughout the process. This approach allowed us to accurately reveal product colors while creating an inviting retail experience for users. For general lighting, we utilized the track lines located in the central ceiling for adjustable track spotlights directed toward the display units, creating a flexible lighting system aligned with the architectural layout. Thanks to the track spotlights, areas requiring emphasis could be easily redefined even if the positions of the units changed.
Shelf lighting was one of the key elements we focused on in detail during the mock-up phase. By testing different sample applications on the shelving systems, we explored concealed lighting solutions. To prevent light sources from being directly perceived by users, particular attention was paid to installation depths and mounting positions. Based on section-based evaluations of the shelf profiles, we developed a double-row concealed LED solution to evenly illuminate both the front and rear rows of products.
This approach ensured that while track spotlights accentuated the display units, no dark areas were formed beneath the shelves, allowing the subtle reflections on the perfume bottles to be perceived as users experienced the products together with their scents.
The aiming and orientation of the track spotlights were addressed through sectional analyses. By identifying areas where shadows occurred on the shelves, we adjusted the beam angles accordingly. In doing so, we balanced the light distribution and prevented contrast loss on the front surfaces of the products.
The vertical surface at the end of the axis, perceived from both the shop window and the entrance, was treated as a key reference element in lighting design, as it is directly visible from the window and would serve as a reference in other stores as well. To enhance the vertical effect and reinforce spatial boundaries, we proposed ceiling-mounted wall-washing luminaires for these surfaces. The resulting vertical illumination added depth to the space while strengthening the brand’s visibility from the storefront.Potential reflections on glossy ceramic surfaces were carefully controlled by adjusting luminaire types and beam angles throughout the process.
While maintaining the same design language as the mock-up store, the London store’s two-storey configuration and the additional experiential space on the lower level required further evaluation of our design decisions and allowed the lighting language to extend throughout the space. The shop window, acting as a window opening onto London’s streets, needed to be perceived from outside and spark curiosity within the city’s generally cloudy and dim atmosphere.
From the moment visitors enter the store, the small light reflections on the perfume bottles within the display units—combined with their scents—were intended to guide users intuitively, without making them consciously aware of the light source itself, and to encourage product exploration. While leading visitors toward the back of the store, the vertically illuminated wall surface at the end of the axis was designed to reinforce spatial perception and support wayfinding toward the staircase and the lower level. In this way, the store was conceived as an experiential space within London’s dark streets, shaped by its lighting and design language.
At the end of this process, we established a holistic lighting language that supports Atelier Rebul’s warm and experiential retail atmosphere. By transforming light into a design tool that works in harmony with architecture, we aimed to create a repeatable, sustainable lighting standard that accurately represents the brand across its future stores.
