Certainly not a design project you see often. Serra is a Cannabis Dispensary in Portland, situated inside an 1889 built, historical building in the Old Town area of Portland. Its minimal but charming design is done by OMFGCo and JHL Designstudio, and is the ideal Store for selling recreational marijuana.
In creation of this retail space, elements of both the interior and the exterior of the existing building, have been taken into consideration. The designers chose tones and textures that not only marry within the space, but respond to the urban surroundings.
Painted in a colour known as the Black Beauty, the façade becomes the first introduction to the interior. It draws you in and subtly hints of what’s ahead. The black finish similar to the façade’s, has found its way outlining product displays, supporting light fixtures and shelving, as well as highlighting the building’s original construction from the new.
Brightened by Matthew McCormick’slighting fixtures, the store features large illuminated circles, hung at different heights, above the general store, with brass finished detailing that bring a sort of elegance to the space.
Welcomed by a reception area, before being allowed to go further into the drug store, customers can wait seated on a long, contemporary brown leather sofa, surrounded by planted vegetation that once again, introduces another design element of what the retail space includes.
Once you are through the glass partition, an immediate arrangement of framed wooden display cases in the form of little, floating houses, similar to what a greenhouse looks like, are seen encasing the chosen cannabis products. Sensibly so, the inspiration was taken from the store’s name,Serraand its meaning in Italian; greenhouse. The displays are constructed of timber drawers, framed in a black finish and topped with glass panels to where the roof is, for easy visibility and protection.
Along the length of the white-washed, brick walls, more accessories are displayed on interlocking shelving that is created with similar materials and style to that of the product displays. Support beams run parallel to the pale-toned, tiled floor; a bespoke design by OMFGCo, who also designed the company’s familiar blue branding.
The use of vegetation continues within the store, as tall living wall elements, become the main feature of this particular establishment, as a correspondence to the purpose of this business and their produce. Added to enhance the use of lighting and alluring atmosphere, three dimensional LED lettering in a traditional, calligraphic font, hangs high on the living green wall for all to see.
Photos © DezeenandJHL Design
Photography courtesy of Kenton Waltz
