Formula 18

Task

The salon occupies a two-storey building from the middle of the 19th century. Built in the eclectic style of its period, it has four identical facades that sit comfortably in the surrounding streetscape, and an internal courtyard that holds its historic character.

The Gostiny Dvor that houses Formula 18 remains a reminder of the past and a link between the town’s history and its modern life.

The task was to create a space that brought a wide range of beauty services together and offered clients a new way of relating to a salon. We wanted Formula 18 to be both a place to look after yourself and a place to meet like-minded women — enough to stand out in a competitive market.

In planning terms, 400 m² had to accommodate a treatments zone and a community zone, with visitor flows separated: clients arriving for calm and self-care needed comfort and quiet, while guests drawn to events in the lounge and boutique needed room for the community to gather.

That approach reframed what a beauty salon is — a place where aesthetics meet contemporary service.

Formula 18 is every woman’s dream space, one where you are always eighteen. The project’s code speaks to the life of a modern woman whose main resource is time — when all the services you need can be done in a couple of hours in one room, with your child looked after.

Instead of a standard reception we designed a community zone for beauty get-togethers, film screenings, talks, wardrobe reviews and simply good conversation. It shows how good an interior can be when it works together with branding and identity.

Irina Filippova, project lead

Solution

The first zone is for cosmetology and massage, entered from the stair hall on the upper floor, where clients can concentrate entirely on recovery. The second is built for activity: a generous welcome zone with reception and a bar serving oxygen cocktails and fresh juices, next to a large retail area for product launches, themed events and beauty parties.

The plan underlines what makes the Formula 18 format distinct — rest and self-care on one side, time with friends in a relaxed setting on the other.

The design concept grew out of the brand identity developed with our partner branding agency. Building that identity into the salon allowed new interior forms and a rethink of colour and material.

The massage-room walls carry a pattern taken from the brand book, which holds the visual language together, while decorative hanging birds and a palette echoing the logo give the interior its character. It is a clear example of marketing built into architecture — aesthetic and functionally considered at the same time.

What we did

Before anything is built we prepare a preliminary cost estimate, which is what lets us find savings while the project is still on paper rather than on site. It is laid out as a clear table so the client can see every anticipated cost, alongside a schedule of works, payments and procurement.

Keeping estimate, schedule and procurement in one place means we can react to a moving market quickly — without giving up either the look of the project or the way it functions.

Result

Area: 400 m². Year: 2023. Status: Built.