Costa Brazil

Alexander May Studio designed the long-term Costa Brazil residency at Hudson Yards in New York, translating the brand's philosophy into a physical environment shaped by materiality, atmosphere, and restraint. Conceived as an immersive retail and cultural space, the project moves beyond conventional beauty retail, positioning the store as a place for ritual, gathering, and sensory experience.

Developed in close collaboration with Francisco Costa, the space combines natural materials, collected objects, artworks, books, scent, and sound into a cohesive spatial language informed by Brazilian modernism and domestic intimacy. Rather than constructing a polished commercial environment, May approached the project as a lived-in interior, balancing precision with warmth and emotional depth.

The residency also functions as a platform for ongoing cultural programming, conversations, and curated experiences centred around craftsmanship, design, wellness, and contemporary culture. Through a disciplined use of light, texture, proportion, and object placement, the project extends Costa Brazil beyond product into a complete environmental expression of the brand.

Location

New York

Year

2025

Role

Creative Direction, Interior Design, Styling