New York Store, Mercer

Monos emerges in SoHo as a space that feels unearthed rather than built – a contemporary ruin envisioned by Belgian architect Bernard Dubois.

Dubois’ design draws from ancient sites shaped through excavation and massing: the Buddhist monastery of Fayaz-Tepa in Termez, the mud-brick expanse of Chan Chan in Trujillo, and the stepped terraces of Purruchuco in Lima. Their monumental geometries and quiet repetition echo in the store’s composition – layered like excavated strata, alcoves recessed like ceremonial chambers, and walls clad in rhythmic tiling that recall the hand-laid bricks of vanished cities.

As visitors move through the store, the experience unfolds with a quietly surreal rhythm – familiar yet otherworldly. Forms, surfaces, and shadows progress like a dream, inviting travellers to slow down, reflect, and feel momentarily transported beyond the city’s pace.

In the heart of SoHo, products are not simply displayed but enshrined, creating a dialogue between past civilizations and contemporary journeys.