-By Danine Alati, Photography by Benny Chan, fotoworks

project: Noka Chocolate Flagship Boutique
client: Noka Chocolate
location: Dallas
designer: Shimoda Design Group

Inspired by a visit to the Matterhorn mountain in the Swiss Alps, Noah Houghton and Katrina Merrem left their careers in accounting and finance to pursue something more fulfilling—they decided to open a Los Angeles boutique for luxury chocolatier NoKA Chocolate.

What distinguishes NoKA from other chocolate is its purity. The company specializes in producing a fine, single-estate dark chocolate with cacao beans that are not blended with other cacao beans. This sense of purity helped inform the Los Angeles-based Shimoda Design Group's creation of NoKA's flagship boutique. "We wanted to create a space that reflected the clients' philosophy of making chocolate, and for it to be a tribute to the craft of making chocolate and a sanctuary for experiencing the taste of chocolate," says Joey Shimoda, design firm CEO. "Functionally, the goal was to design a unique chocolate boutique that was more like a jewelry store. It was important to make a visit to the boutique a personal and memorable experience for each and every customer."

The cacao bean itself influenced the design of the boutique, as Shimoda translated abstract forms and textures and a restrained color palette on the interior, while also taking cues from NoKA's signature stainless-steel box in constructing a façade of glass, stainless steel, and black chrome. The textured interior walls (made of high-density fiberboard panels fabricated by Interlam) stand in stark juxtaposition with the sleek display fixtures, much as the rough cacao bean contrasts with the polished container of NoKA chocolate.

The vast ceiling height coupled with the small floor plate particularly lent itself to inciting a "larger-than-life, organic experience, similar to the feeling you get when you walk into a pristine place of worship," Houghton offers.

And Shimoda adds, "The greatest challenge was also the greatest opportunity: The volume was unusual for any retail space with such a small footprint. It was the impetus to creating a cathedral-like sanctuary for chocolate. It limited the amount of displays and storage, which resulted in the design of the single chocolate 'jewel' display case."

Danilo De Rossi's handblown Murano glass Glo' pendant by Leucos dangling at the center of the boutique is a design element that not only references water and the Matterhorn, but also "is intended to draw the eye from the tall, curving ceiling above to the glass and stone case below where the chocolates are displayed," according to Susan Chang, senior associate at Shimoda Design Group. "It functions more as a sculptural element than a light fixture."

Satisfied that Shimoda Design Group successfully brought to life NoKA Chocolate's founding philosophies of purity and quality, the tasting experience, and the ceremony of gifting, Houghton says that he loves "the whole concept of entering the heart of the cacao pod and stepping inside this unique one-of-a-kind environment."


jury comment:

"The simple geometry of the space, and especially the asymmetry of the shapes, makes this an almost religious yet very dynamic place. The scale is beautifully exploited; a very grand gesture to create a space for very small product. It clearly expresses the essence of the product and is visually quite appealing. This is a simple, strong gesture that leaves one craving chocolate. It's a yummy project."


who
Project: Noka Chocolate Flagship Boutique. Client: Noka Chocolate. Architect: Shimoda Design Group; Joey Shimoda, Susan Chang, Dan Allen, Todd Tuntland, Charissa Santos. Architect of Record: BOKA Powell; Don Powell, Jan Lewinski. Mechanical/electrical engineer: James Johnston & Associates. General contractor: James R. Thompson, Inc./Ryan Thompson. Construction manager: Hillwood Development Corporation. Photographer: Benny Chan/fotoworks.

what
Paint: Scuffmaster,  Benjamin Moore. Masonry: Volakas marble supplied by Gem International. Flooring: Royal Mosa. Lighting fixtures: Danilo De Rossi's handblown Murano glass Glo' by Leucos. Architectural woodworking: Interlam Inc. Cabinetmaking: Saw Custom Millwork. Signage: ArtOGrafx.

where
Location: Dallas, Texas. Total floor area: 515 sq. ft. No. of floors: 1.