Clap Studio surprises us with the design of the first Alohas physical shop in Barcelona, inspired by the volcanic landscape of Hawaii.

I have been following Clap Studio‘ s projects for several years, admiring their creative capacity and their power of conceptualisation. Despite their short trajectory, they were awarded in 2023 with the National Design Award in the category of young designers.

If anything defines the creative work of Àngela Montagud and Jordi Iranzo, founders of Clap, it is their continuous effort to understand the identity and values of the brands they work for, which allows them to represent them visually with an original and elegant approach that they themselves boast and that their design students are sure to enjoy in their classes.

The project we present here is the first physical shop of the Alohas brand in the emblematic Rambla Catalunya in Barcelona, created at the beginning of this 2024, after a meteoric career of online success with a successful marketing and social media work.

The Alohas brand, created by ex-footballer Alejandro Porras, has not stopped growing and evolving since its founder started in 2015 in Hawaii, with the crazy but successful idea of selling menorquinas (a typical Balearic shoe) to American citizens. His current determination to develop a sustainable and responsible fashion brand has caught on with his customers, especially in the United States where his sales exceed 40%.

The identity of the Alohas brand has evolved from its beginnings, more linked to a surf aesthetic, towards a strong and daring identity visualised in its new shop in Barcelona.

Clap’s designers have been inspired by Alohas’ own history, originally founded in Hawaii from which it takes its name. Clap decided to move away from the aesthetics of the beach paradise and focused on the aggressive, brutalist landscape that represents the archipelago.

The design of the Barcelona shop evokes the volcanic landscape of Hawaii, and the effects produced by lava. “The surface of a river of lava, over time, cools and hardens, creating underground rivers that, after the eruption, transform into tunnels of magical appearance; this geological concept has been the cornerstone of our design” explains Àngela Montagud, Clap’s creative director, who adds: “The Alohas shop is presented as a volcanic grotto, an environment that combines the brutality of nature with the sophistication of design. The metal furniture, with its sharp, aggressive shapes, emulates the ferocity of lava, creating a contrast with the serene ambience of the shop. The lights on the ceiling represent openings that, over time, are generated in these tunnels, reconnecting them with their surroundings“.

This dialogue between aggressive and refined perfectly captures the duality of Alohas’ new image, offering visitors an immersive shopping experience.

Project: Alohas. Tienda Barcelona.
Interior design: Clap Studio.
Surface: 100 m2.
Location: Rambla Catalunya 113. Barcelona.
Photography: José Hevia.

Clap Studio

In 2017 Àngela Montagud and Jordi Iranzo founded Clap Studio with the aim of creating projects that transmit emotions, inspire and excite people. After years of studying and working in Germany, they decided to return to Valencia, their homeland, to set up their studio dedicated to interior design, product design and art installations. Their training in industrial design and architecture has led them to develop projects of different scales with a common motto: to offer unique and unforgettable experiences.

Clap Studio bases its methodology on a commitment to its clients and their objectives as a brand. Understanding their clients’ values, objectives and needs is what allows them to create bespoke projects that enhance their business. Each of their projects has a unique identity and a strong concept that they convey in a clean and bold way.

In 2023 they were recognised with the National Design Award in the Young Designers category by the Spanish Ministry of Innovation and Design. In 2020, they were included in the list of the 100 most creative agencies by Forbes magazine and awarded the German Design Awards for the best Retail Architecture. They have been recognised worldwide with numerous awards such as the FRAME Awards for best multi-brand shop design of the year and included in the top 20 emerging interior design studios by Dezeen Awards in 2019.

They work for large, established brands and for companies that are just starting out and need a solid concept to boost their business. Their experience has led them to work with brands such as Fila, Lexus, Toyota Motor Europe or World Design Capital Organization and to develop projects in different countries such as Brazil, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Belarus, China, among others. They are enthusiastic about new cultures, new clients and new challenges.

Source: Clap Studio

Project by Clap Studio