Have I seen too many vaginas, or does this pink-hued escalator in the world’s first ever Barbie flagship store in Shanghai look a hell of a lot like a hooha? I mean, really. The recently completed Barbie-themed Mattel store in Shanghai, China, was designed by Slade Architecture. At a whopping 35,000 square feet, the Barbie palace “holds the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of Barbie dolls and licensed Barbie products, as well as a range of services and activities for Barbie fans and their families,” in which, per Mattel’s request, “Barbie is hero.” Um, you go, girl? The exterior is minimalist futurist, and the interior is slick pop with its Barbie-embedded walls, spaceship cosmetics counter, and a high-tech area where you can design your own Barbie doll. Still, that escalator is its most striking feature, IMO. What do you think of it: pretty people mover or totes cooter? [ArchDaily]
