London-based Child Studio designed the Cubitts store in Leeds as a retail interior in direct dialogue with the historic County Arcade in the Victoria Quarter. The project interprets the Victorian architectural language of the building through Art Deco references, modernist details and bespoke craftsmanship.
The store is located on a corner site within County Arcade, a Grade II listed structure built in 1898 by theatre architect Frank Matcham. The building features Siena pink marble columns, gilded mosaic ceilings, wrought-iron details and mahogany shopfronts with curved glass doors.
The Cubitts Leeds store reinterprets the architectural language of County Arcade
Child Studio pays tribute to the design heritage of northern England while celebrating the distinctive character of the historic building. Rather than introducing a neutral minimalist interior, the design creates a layered narrative that brings together Victorian joinery, Art Deco influences and modernist references.
“New interiors within historical structures often offer a sterile minimalistic look that makes no attempt to engage with the context. We wanted to take a more subtle approach and build a layered narrative that acknowledges the different chapters in the building’s history,” comment Child Studio founders Alexy Kos and Che Huang. “We tried to imagine how the space might have evolved organically over time, blending the features of Victorian cabinetmaking with Art Deco interior elements and modernist references.”
“Child Studio is always looking for an authentic story at the heart of the project, aspiring to create something meaningful and timeless. Tactility and craftsmanship are incredibly important to us: every detail in this interior is bespoke and based on careful research. By reconciling heritage and modernity, this project aims to provide an intimate and informal destination for this historic quarter,” add Alexy Kos and Che Huang.
Three-metre-high showcases define the product display and spatial rhythm
The store interior is wrapped by a series of three-metre-high showcases that echo the geometry of the original shopfront. Glossy chocolate-brown lacquer contrasts with the rough off-white wallpaper lining the illuminated shelves, creating a calibrated relationship between depth, texture and brightness.
The bespoke cashier desk is designed as a writing desk and refers to classic pieces by Robin Day. Its reflective black glass top is supported by a stainless steel base and a cherrywood storage unit, reinforcing the intimate and crafted character of the retail interior.
Materials, vintage furniture and handcrafted details reinforce the narrative interior
The floor features a striking geometric pattern inspired by the original majolica architectural details of the arcade. It is made with clay tiles produced by the local company Burmantofts Pottery in shades of terracotta, sand and anthracite.
The designers introduced a selection of antique furniture and design pieces, including Tobia Scarpa’s leather “Monk” chair, the “Jumo” table lamp designed by Eileen Gray and an octagonal Bakelite clock produced in the 1930s for schools and factories by the British company Genalex. The sign was handmade by a local artisan using the traditional Verre Églomisé technique, with gold leaf applied to black glass.
Location Leeds
Design Child Studio
Photos courtesy Felix Speller & Child Studio