The AUGA optical salon in Wrocław is a space where architecture becomes a story about biology. The interior design is not just an aesthetic statement – it is a thoughtful interpretation of the process of vision, translated into the language of forms, light and materials. Each element has been designed to evoke associations with the structure of the eye, while creating a functional, comfortable and visually coherent space. The interior design was created by the Znamy się studio.
The spatial layout of the salon reflects the path taken by light – from the entrance, which corresponds to the role of the cornea, through the exhibition area, to the specialist offices, symbolically performing the function of the retina. When entering AUGI, the customer becomes part of this narrative. The space reacts to their presence, and the successive zones open up gradually, leading them deeper into the interior. This smooth transition between areas creates the impression of immersing oneself in the process of seeing, in which light is not only a metaphor but also a real tool that shapes the atmosphere.
The glass lens – the heart of the optical metaphor
One of the most characteristic elements of the interior is a grooved, biconvex glass form inspired by the lens of the eye. Its presence is not merely decorative. The structure refracts and distorts the sun’s rays entering the interior, creating subtle reflections and shadows. In this way, the space gains dynamism and light becomes an active participant in the composition. This solution directly refers to the biological function of the lens – focusing light and giving it sharpness.
In the centre of the lounge is a round counter made of burr wood, illuminated by a bright LED chandelier. It is an architectural metaphor for the macula – the area responsible for central vision and colour perception. Just as the cones focus the eye on the most important details, the counter becomes a natural point of concentration. Bright lighting emphasises its role and at the same time refers to the biological fact that cones only function in good lighting conditions.
Subtle decorations
The walls of the lounge are entwined with horizontal shelves, whose rhythmic arrangement creates an impression of movement. They are accompanied by a blue gradient, extending from the entrance to the offices. This is a deliberate reference to the rods – photoreceptors responsible for peripheral vision and motion perception. The deep navy blue of the walls evokes the Purkinje effect, a phenomenon in which shades of blue remain visible the longest in dim light. This gives the peripheral areas of the interior softness and depth, and makes the whole composition more immersive.
The impulse leads further
The space is complemented by LED fibre optics suspended from the ceiling, running through the entire salon to the offices. Their layout is inspired by the path of nerve impulses that carry visual information from the eye to the brain. At AUGA, they serve as a symbolic customer path – leading them to a place where their eyesight will be examined and the process of vision understood and corrected. It is a subtle but expressive combination of architecture and neurobiology.
A space like an eye
The interior of the AUGA optical salon is an example of a design in which biological inspiration is not just a pretext, but the foundation of the entire concept. Architecture, light and materials create a coherent narrative, and every element – from the central counter to the light pulses – has its own meaning. It is a place that not only serves customers, but also tells the story of vision, allowing them to experience it in an intuitive and multi-layered way.
design: Znamy się
design team: Wojtek Nowak, Bogna Kawa-Nowak, Monika Jokiel, Ula Dachnij-Seredyńska, Anna Petryszyn
photos: MigdałStudio
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