Finessing the soft sell, ARO wraps a luminous New York City spa and boutique in seductively gossamer veils at Qiora.

By Sarah Amelar

Adam Yarinsky and Stephen Cassell

The deeper you go in Qiora, the softer the focus gets—as if you were plunging under water or drifting through a cloud. From outside this day spa and store, the views through its plate-glass storefront seem remarkably clear, nearly revealing all. But the short, mood-altering journey inward—from a stylish stretch of New York City’s bustling Madison Avenue, over Qiora’s threshold, and into its more intimate spa zone—grows increasingly hazy. Layers of veils, tinted in shades of aqua or milky white and suspended from the ceiling, become denser as you move toward the back of the 1,500-square-foot boutique. Gauzily wrapping the space’s perimeter and enclosing circular treatment cabanas, the sheer fabric sensuously mutes all edges. But as you wander through this ethereal oblivion, you’ll likely be unaware of the ways the design was consciously calibrated to make you, and the bottles of Qiora skincare products, look radiant. It all seems so natural and effortless, but this is, after all, Madison Avenue.

See the September, 2001 issue of Architectural Record for the full story. See the people and products behind this project.

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