Clare Cousins Architects delivered a new concept store for Australian cycling apparel brand MAAP. The new store, what the brand calls a LaB, continues the design language of previous iterations while tying the new outpost to Los Angeles. Located on the ground floor of a 1912 building, LaB honors the original structure and weaves in MAAP’s signature gear.

The architects maintained the pre-existing textural heritage, namely exposed brick walls and wood rafters, but complemented the old with the new in LaB’s kit of parts: steel, colorful textiles, and Hayden Cox’s resin artwork. Steel makes up the display rack, connected to shiny concrete floors. The racks run the length of the store atop brick walls, while the other half of the store is clad in metal, a contemporary contrast.

Soft seating sits at the center of the store, reflecting the brand’s commitment to real-world connections and local bike communities. The curving sofa is upholstered in a mahogany color and sculpts around the resin coffee table, whose hues reflect the purple and pink signage nearby.

The rear of the store makes way for a colorful and material departure: A red-tiled counter, offering coffee and checkout services, breaks up the steel and brick. Behind it, a metallic wall that continues into the fitting room brings the steel-forward design full circle.