Faust is a minimal space located in Oslo, Norway, designed by Snøhetta. Located in Oslo’s Barcode-area, the 20 square meter space consists of five custom concrete niches with massive carved wooden doors. The five niches and their vaulted shapes each have their own specific programmatic purpose; the designer’s personal cabinet with tools and materials, a place for sitting, a display niche, and two storage niches. With large-scaled oiled oak doors with a milled and brushed finish, the design of the cabinetry reflects the handmade details and the tactility of the products being displayed and sold in the shop. The niches reference a historic, almost religious architectural language, giving homage to the thoughtful and quality driven trade of shoemaking. The concrete niches with their weight and massiveness possess a surreal scale in an otherwise small space, while disappearing into the darkness of the charcoal colored walls.

Photography by Lasse Fløde