COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This Interior Design studio was based around a competition offered by Pave and sponsored by REI. Their proposal was the following:
"Create a new store experience for our current customer base while trying to attract active outdoor millennials. This concept should focus on a Flagship in the Washington DC market. Location is downtown in a historically significant building. 50,000 square feet. 75% selling, 25% back of house (bathrooms, offices, warehouse).
Emphasis on creating "shops" with an overall market like feel. (e.g., Eataly, Wholefoods, Melrose Market, Chelsea Market). It should feel bountiful but organized. There should be high capacity areas along with more display type moments that tell stories. The shops and experience should be inspirational and evoke qualities of the outdoors. Each shop to focus on product as much as possible. The architecture should not compete with the product, but provide the best canvas possible to sell the products.
Store should include elements of the local community and market throughout the space. How do we engage and activate the community throughout our store and in this space? What design elements can be specific or local to this Washington, DC flagship? How do we connect to the outdoors in the space?
Technology innovation should add value to the customer experience but not detract. How can we leverage the customer’s own smart phone? Does the technology solution help them check out, lookup products or educate them in any way?"
REI RESEARCH:
Previous to Competition Submission, small groups researched cases studies that might influence design opportunities for REI. We were tasked to research bazaars, markets, and souks to understand how this concept might be utilized in a retail store, and how might REI adopt the “market concept?” We researched and studied markets across the world to better understand the customer experience, merchandise displays, floor fixture strategy, signage and way-finding, defining a shop, and the “market concept.”
GROUP: Lora Child (Interior Design)
