Light Years Skin Studio
Gold Coast, QLD
Land of the The Kombumerri families of the Yugambeh Language Region
Photographs Andy MacPherson Studio
Light Years Skin Studio offers LED skin therapy. Technically part of the beauty industry, but definitely not a day spa. Our design needed to reflect this point of difference as well as conveying the brands core values – quality treatment, personal interaction and genuine care; environmental and community responsibility. In the words of our client ‘No fluff, authentic, unique and bang for your buck’.
The layout uniquely accommodates functional requirements in a compact 50 square metres. Three separate LED treatment spaces, a treatment room with massage table, product display, point of sale, storage and a back of house preparation area.
Individual treatment ‘pods’ enveloped in diaphanous curtains provide privacy and create serene a micro-retreat from the every day. Clientele can plug into music or a podcast and relax. The pod design allows adaptability to different sized tenancies and has become a signature element of the LYSS brand.
“Enclosed by translucent wraparound curtains suspended from dropped ceilings, the three triangular pods are akin to grown-up cubbyhouses and provide real points of attraction.”
Material selection and colour palette was underpinned by the requirement for the space to be welcoming and comfortable for anyone of any age and any gender; embodying playful sophistication whilst feeling hygienic and efficient without being cold and clinical.
Product display and point of sale are integrated into sculptural joinery that runs along the perimeter wall. We eschewed a traditional counter design, to maintain adequate circulation space and reinforce the LYSS ethos of openness and approachability.
A free-standing ‘wall’ screens the treatment room, and also provides a cleansing station and bench seating. The mirrored backdrop serves to visually enlarge the volume of the tenancy.
For our studio, this project was one of the great things to come out of the Covid situation. Designed in Victoria, delivered in Queensland, with suppliers from Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania, the end result is testament to trust and teamwork. Not being able to visit site prior to design and during construction was unusual and slightly traumatic! Our brilliant client handled the daily on-site construction and project management. We are very grateful to Megan for her trust and commitment to our vision for the LYSS space.
The curtains work with gentle lighting to create a private, soothing micro-retreat from the outside world. Visitors are encouraged to plug into music or a podcast and relax. The design of the pods, which are adjustable for size, has become a signature element of the LYSS brand.
— KVADRAT IN USE