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INSIGHTS: A DISCUSSION ABOUT “PUBLIC SPACE” DESIGN
Gaddis Architect specializes in all phases of commercial and commercial retail design, design management and construction. If maximizing the success of your business by optimizing the performance of your store, or commercial space design is a goal, then attending the following “Insights” could provide some very real benefits. Many common, and some not so common, design challenges are analyzed. Solutions aimed at increasing retail traffic, creating visual presence in various environments, and expressing not only a particular shopping experience but also the business’s brand, are presented. We think that all design is, on some level at least, retail design. Please scroll on, start a dialogue, contact us anytime.
Reaching the walk and drive by market.
Under Performing Storefront
Independent opticians and eyewear retailers often miss a marketing opportunity because they don’t know how to make a visual impact with their storefront. Glasses like jewelry and accessories fall into the small product category, i.e., anything smaller than a human head.
The chains hire expert designers to work out ways of showcasing tiny merchandise, much of it involving custom case work, luxurious materials and feature lighting. Others, give up on the storefront altogether, choosing instead to open the window completely to the sales area beyond. Still others, rely on prominent and message heavy signs, or brand specific imagery. There are a few who actually get how to incorporate actual merchandise into attention grabbing storefront displays that works with signage and related brands to deliver a super marketing message.
Smaller retailers offer great products and services, but without the store planning resources of larger chains how can they take full advantage of the high priced display space associated with their storefront?
Storefront Design by Gaddis Architect, Copyright © 2012
In the image above and notes below I suggest some techniques that enable a retailer to reach both walking and drive by markets with a physically little product?
- Have a convertible shelving/platform system and good display lighting installed in your window.
- Display only one or two, preferably related, products at a time.
- Make the main display module human or human sized. Both full and partial mannequins work. Remember, people are attracted most to other people, and you only have about 5 seconds to get the shoppers attention.
- If not using mannequins, make it a display module that is close to human in size. Use primary forms, i.e., cylinders, boxes, pyramids.
- Repeat the product. When landscape designers want to make a statement in the view they use a lot of one thing.
- For drama and to stand out of the street-scape add a bold but generic graphic. High contrast always attracts visual attention. To much contrast is visual noise.
- Establish a hierarchy. Above, from smallest to largest, we see vendor logos, wall displays, mannequins dressed with glasses, over sized side wall photos, and finally the umbrella graphic, which is reinforced with an artist’s trick. The color becomes less saturated as it moves back, until full saturation re-appears as a bright back wall.
- Last, but really important, set up a marketing program for your window and test your displays in an offsite location.
Copyright © Bridget Gaddis 2012, all rights reserved.
Let the Chaos Happen?
Shopping in Chennai, India
I have first hand experience shopping in districts like the one above. My reaction – temporary paralysis in the face of immense opportunity – is always the same. American City Planner, William Whyte famously observed that what attracts people most is other people, which leads me to ask, has he defined a universal retail design strategy? Is it the default blueprint for markets like this one in Chennai, and more importantly can designers improve this retail experience without destroying it? How?
India’s answer to the western style shopping mall, touted as “international best practice” housed in local identity, is considered by many to be an improvement. Is it really, or does it rather encourage western style problems, not the least being lack of parking in an increasingly mobile country? All very big questions. Maybe the answer is to think small. If I were designing for a retailer in the Chennai people-scape, I might ponder the best way of functioning in, and formulating an identity from, my small piece of the chaos. The row of mannequins on the left starts to suggest potential.
Think “LA Ink”
After you get over the initial shock and take a close look, you soon realize that these European locations are not a lot different from a typical “Old Town” street-scape. Three story facades with shops opening onto sidewalks form interesting urban architecture no matter where you are. Adding attention grabbing street art completely changes not only the vibe, but more importantly the market appeal; and market appeal there is, in abundance.
Leading, of course, to the question; is this art or a sign, and what constitutes a sign? Surely the “Alexandria Board of Architectural Review” would not issue a “Certificate of Appropriateness” for such an installation. Is one required, though, if the only alteration is to paint a building? My research says this is legal, my experience says not. In lieu of further investigation just, think LA Ink.