Commercial Retail Interior Design

1. Commercial Retail Interior Design I have taken the majority of the quotes and named examples in this presentation from the book The Inspired Retail Space, Attract Customer, Build Branding, Increase Volume. Dean, C. (2003) The Inspired Retail Space, Attract Customer, Build Branding, Increase Volume. 2nd. Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA Rockport Publishers. I have also taken quotes from the book Basics Interior Design 01: Retail Design which I found on Google Books. Mesher, L (2010) Basics Interior Design 01: Retail Design. London, AVA Publishing I chose these book because I wish to become a commercial Interior Designer, it is all about transforming ideas into experiences and it explores the spaces in which we shop, drink, eat, sleep and work.

2. Introduction • ‘Shopping is an activity that is part of our everyday lives. Whether we are shopping to feed ourselves, clothe ourselves or simply out of enjoyment. The places we choose to shop say something about our lifestyle, culture and interests’ (Mesher, L, P6) • Today I believe every shopping environment has to stand out in the crowd and I think this is achieved by making shopping into an experience, through cutting edge design. It is not just designer brands that think this too. For example ‘mid market retailers such as Jigsaw, the British fashion retailer, or the German-based company Reiss, are introducing elements borrowed from the highly designed, distinctive styles executed in the up market retail boutiques.’ (Dean,2003, P7) • From studying World Cities at A level Geography I learnt a lot about the decentralisation of retailing and other services. I think this knowledge has given me a greater understanding into the changing face of retail which I can now combine into my own creative practise. In my opinion shopping habits have changed dramatically in recent decades, I believe it is one of the most popular leisure pursuits in society today. And I think retailers know this, many are creating new, more exciting shopping environments for the consumer to enjoy. Personally I think design that once was only seen in bars, restaurants and hotels is spilling over into the retail sector. You can see it everywhere you go!

3. Design Factors and Brand Awareness ‘The aim of the designer is to entice, excite and enthral the consumer by creating an experience to which they can relate’ (Mesher, L, P6) ‘But despite the power of introducing strong design statements into these environments, attracting customers into the store and building brand awareness are still the principal concerns of the design progress’. (Dean, C P7) ‘These goals are often achieved by reinforcing the logo throughout the store or creating an environment synonymous with the brand.’ (Dean, C P7) I am fond of the idea of this idea, for example the Pop Shop’s logo is stencilled as a cut out on the store’s awning. These quote has given me some advice on what I should think about when I carry out my projects in particular my Final Major Project. I need to make sure that as well as creating a design statement I will need to incorporate a strong brand identity which should carry right through the design. ‘The rule for retail space is that the design should reflect the product.’ (Dean, C, P7) Photography Credits. Courtesy of Steven Mays, P158

4. Branding & Identity Branding has been fuelled by consumerism and global culture. ‘In retail terms, the store is built around the concept of the brand and the products sold within it. The interior emulates the aspirations of the brand values and qualities to enhance the relationship between the space and the message. Everything about the brand must be consistent from the associated colours and graphic style to the product range.’ (Mesher , L, P11) Branding is nothing new, the earliest examples of branding can be traced back to the 1880’s when logos appeared on products for example Campbell’s soup and coca cola. Today branding can be seen everywhere, on billboards for example in Times Square, New York and Piccadilly Circus, London.

5. Traditional Design ‘As new designs for retail space flourish, the old formulas of display and movement through the space are still at play, first to entice the consumer onto the shop floor and second to gain their brand loyalty.’ (Dean,2003, P7) Historically markets play an important part in the emergence of cities. ‘In the west market halls were built as a way of housing market traders and sheltering them from the elements on the streets. London has a wealth of sizeable wholesale markets, for example Smithfield's for meat, Billingsgate for fish, Borough market, Covent Garden Market and Spitalfields market were used for selling fruit and vegetables only.’ (Mesher, L, P37) Elsewhere in other countries around the world, the market is still a hub of the city, a place of activity rich in colour, texture, sounds and smells. ‘Markets are traditionally the places were food and other essential items where bought’ (Mesher, L, P36) Markets in London Above – A market in Morocco. Left – Selling fruit on a boat in Thailand.

6. Selfridges Food Hall, Manchester, UKFuture Systems, London, UK I have chosen this example because I think the retail design concept of the food hall for the department store Selfridges in Manchester relates well to the quotes on the previous slide. ‘The designers began by looking at the traditional market, an intrinsic part of urban living with social eating and drinking’. (Dean, C, P 111) This is in contrast to the supermarket which sell a variety of amount of goods under one roof and offers a rapid route through monotonous aisles. In my opinion the design successfully combines the familiarity of a traditional market stall with modern day to day life. For example ‘customers can sample wines at the bar area before buying helping to recreate the market atmosphere where customers can sample products before buying’ (Dean, C, P 112) Photography Credits. Courtesy of Richard Davies, P 110, 112; 113

7. Selfridges Food Hall, Manchester, UKFuture Systems, London, UK Future Systems’ design ethos combines organic architecture with soft lines and poetry. (Dean, C P 111) For example they have created the structural form of the fruit and vegetable counter, inspired by a droplet of water. In my opinion fruit and vegetables are one of the most important products for sale on a market, along with flowers. Another key element which I liked in this design is this use of materials, ‘ the display counters are finished in a high-gloss surface in neutral colours to emphasise the colours of the product.’ (Dean, C. P 111) As I am thinking about designing a commercial premise for my FMP this information has given me an insight into the types of materials and finishes used in existing premises. I think using the products as the main colour palette is a great idea! Furthermore I think the visual merchandising of the display table seen on the image left reflects the Alessi products, especially the lime green table legs. Photography Credits. Courtesy of Richard Davies, P 110, 112; 113

8. Bloom, W Hotel, New York, NY, Janson Goldstein Architects, New York, NY ‘The flower store Bloom has created a new way to sell flowers’ (Dean, C P54) The designer Hal Goldstein sums up the mood conveyed “the store was conceived in the spirit of the W Hotel as a place where you not only watch flower arrangements being created at the Flower Bar but where you may choose to spend some time.” I never really thought about the concept of having a flower bar before, despite this I think it is a ingenious idea especially as floristry and flower arranging is an art. Customers can watch the creation of each bouquet as if it where a stage performance. Personally it challenges by perception of the traditional bar, a style that is more akin to a cocktail bar is now used as a flower arranging bench. The aim of the design was to make a serene oasis in the middle of a busy street in Midtown Manhattan, in my opinion this has been achieved, customers feel invited to linger in the lush and richly decorated space but the semiprivate meeting rooms allow customers to discuss their requirements quietly. Photography Credits. Courtesy of Kitchen Rogers Design/KRD-UK.com, P.55

9. Bloom, W Hotel, New York, NY, Janson Goldstein Architects, New York, NY I particularly like the use of materials and finishes in this retail design, ‘the walnut interior walls pivot to reveal concealed storage’ (Dean, C P57) ‘all the flower arrangements are prepared on the brushed-stainless steel counters, which take central stage within the store.’ (Dean, C P57) In my opinion the use of pivoting storage and a flower arranging bench depict watching a show and being at the theatre. This thought is further enhanced by the pool set flush to the floor that displays arrangements of water plants. This can be see below right. This is an example of a concept store and retail with a difference. ‘What drives the concept store is often the highly individual nature of the merchandise.’ (Dean, C P52) In this example a spectacle is created in flower presentations. Another key point with concept stores is the experience comes first, and the purchases preferably follow. Photography Credits. Courtesy of Paul Warchol, P55,56,57 (top)

10. Elle Decoration:March 2014 Edition: Spring/Summer Trends 2014 /Frame Magazine #96: Jan/Feb 2014 At the time of writing this presentation I briefly read the March edition of Elle Decoration, in this magazine there was a section which looked into the latest fashion trends for Spring/Summer 2014. In my opinion the trends for fashion cross over into Interior Design. ‘The design of shops is ever-changing cycle, following fashion trends and consumer aspirations. Retail spaces are at the forefront of contemporary interior design because they are updated regularly to stay competitive and appealing.’ (Mesher, L p.7) Furthermore I was reading the latest edition of Frame Magazine where there was a similar article, I found it hard to read the name of the designer however after carrying out further research I found the designer of the Dior set to be Bureau Betak. He also designed the set design for Peter Pilotto/ Christopher de Vos’ S/S Collection 2014. On Betak’s Tumblr page there were a variety of images taken from the runway show for Pilotto’s A/W 2014 show taken at London Fashion Week, ironically only on Monday (17th February 2014). Initially, I thought this was the same show as shown in the magazine. Despite its similarities Frame showed the S/S 2014 runway set design. I particularly like the use of the coloured panels, transparency and neon lights which I think are quite futuristic. They also reminded me of the Club to Catwalk exhibition which we saw at the Victoria and Albert Museum on the London Trip especially the use of the neon lights which added the overall exhibition experience. I have included photographs of this exhibition design on the following slide.

11. Bureau BetakPeter Pilotto Set Design A/W 2014 Courtesy of Victoria & Albert Museum. When you compare the set design for this show against the Club to Catwalk exhibition I think you can see some similarities especially the use of lighting. Courtesy of Bureau Betak

12. Bureau BetakDior Set Design S/S 2014 Courtesy of Bureau Betak I was particularly drawn to the images in both magazines that showed the set design for the Dior Runway Spring/Summer 2014 in Paris. Creative Director for Dior, Raf Simons enlisted the help of Bureau Betak once again to design the set. He previously designed the Autumn / Winter 2012 Runway which also incorporated the floral concept. In my opinion I prefer the Spring/Summer because it incorporates a vast array of colours and textures depicting a exotic tropical wonderland with the use of a variety flowers. ‘Simons sent the models down the blooming catwalk in paralleling techno floral prints and flower petal inspired garments. Woven then draped into the metal supports were plants of wisteria, roses, and lianas; abundantly arranged to create a dreamy tropical utopia’.

13. Chanel, Osaka, JapanPeter Marino and Associates, New York, NY One interior design which stood out to me personally in this book is the architecture solution for the Chanel store. This design incorporates the latest LED technology which showcases the Chanel logo, the double C logo which first appeared on the package of the world famous Chanel No.5 perfume in 1921. In my opinion it defines the Chanel brand as a globally renowned fashion house. In terms of the interior, the designer has used fittings that adopt the signature style of Chanel by incorporating the logo colours of black and white. This design also uses lighting to entice and attract customers for example ‘woven aviation fibreglass backlit panels emit gentle light.’ (Dean, C P12) I tried to convey this tool in the design for my Ergonomic Interior Design project. In this instance I used lighting for relaxation following my research into the Bauhaus colour theory. Photography Credits. Courtesy of Paul Warchol, P12

14. Service StoresCanyon Ranch’s Living Essentials, Las Vegas, NV. Movk New York NY Stores that offer a service for example jewellers, watch-makers, electrical stores and tailors are in my opinion few and far between on the high streets of today and therefore largely something of the past. However from reading this book I have discovered ‘a new kind of service store is beginning to appear on the market’ (Dean, C, P93) These new stores are offering personalised services in contrast to the mundane, normal supermarket. For example one area of service is the promotion of well-being including health spas, fitness clubs and nail salons. The use of sumptuous hardwood frame and dark slate emphasise the natural element of the products on sale for the company Canyon Ranch. The brand is reinforced through the consistent use of natural materials and the pale colour palette. In my opinion all these factors suggest nature and renewed freshness. In addition they have used a botanical motif as an etched abstraction of an aloe plant, this plant is known for its restorative and healing processes. (Dean, C, P105) I think the use of plants and natural forms depict the great outdoors. Finally, the design incorporates a waterfall at the back of the store to entice customers through the environment. This tells me layout and the floor plan is very important in retail design. Photography Credits. Courtesy of Movk/ Mark Pyler. P 92, 106; 107

15. Tag Heuer, Tokyo, JapanCuriosity, Inc., Tokyo, Japan The client for this example wanted the interior of the shop to reflect the product, which is modern but classic with a sophisticated sports image. (Dean, C P 35) In my opinion of the main features in this design is the use of glass and in particular the display cabinets, set in glass floor to ceiling cases. ‘Three display units and a curved seating bench are placed within the main floor area.’ (Dean, C P 35) I think this layout allows for more circulation space and in essence depicts a gallery or museum where the visitor walks around the artefacts and objects on display. This opinion is enhanced by the fact ‘Curiosity’s design emphasises the don’t touch nature of the locked display cabinets....Encasing the watches with such high security adds to the unique quality of the brand.’ (Dean, C P 35) ‘It has been said that the retail spaces are becoming indistinguishable from art galleries, the implication being consumerism and culture are merging’(Dean, C, P52) I think this example is a true representation to this, the seating adds to the feeling of a contemporary gallery atmosphere and it encourages the customer to contemplate the product at ease and to browse leisurely. Photography Credit. Courtesy of Curiosity, Inc P34, 37