Retail Interior Design Avleen Hunjan
Louis Vuitton store- Peter Marino Plan
Plan view of the spiral staircase
This staircase, from the Louis Vuitton store, really drew my attention from the spiral form. The designer, Peter Marino, kept a similar colour palette for the stairs, which adds an element of interest to the space, showing that simplicity really elevates the store which is useful when selling products. Moreover, the spiral looks whimsical whilst still looking elegant due to the wooden material used on the stairs. The furniture used is very minimal and understated whilst using chromatic colours. Overall, I really like the space as it really grabs your attention. I will consider designing a feature element for my store designs.
From the Louis Vuitton store, I wanted to focus my research on their store layout. The plan drawing above shows the ground floor of the luxury store. I really like how they spread everything out and designed a layout that has good and spacious flow. Moreover, I like how everything is sectioned which is something I need to consider. The entrance has access to stairs and leads to the middle of the store, which seems like a good way to draw the customers in. I think I will consider a layout like this where the display items are at the front of the store and the larger products are placed at the back. This seems like a great way to attract customers and look deeper into the store.
Perspective
Right Side Elevation This is one of the sections of the Louis Vuitton store in London, which displays clothing and bags. I was really drawn to the use of neon colours and abstract structures within the space. From this picture I was able to draw these elevations of the space, as seen on the right, which allowed me to understand the flow of the space and how products, shelves and tables are positioned in a store. Peter Marino wanted to create an understated and chromatic space which was achieved by his neutral colour palette and interesting structures that really helps elevate the store. I really like the hanging ‘eggshell’ pieces as they draw the eye up and helps elongate the size of the room. Marino opted for fibre glass shelves to display the products which I think was a clever choice so I might consider this when designing my own store. Even though the floors, ceilings and walls are all neutral tones I think it works well because the store is well lit, making these tones balanced.
Left Side Elevation
Hiroshi Senju Museum Karuizawa:
Perspective
Atrium This museum was designed by Hiroshi Senju. He wanted to design a museum that celebrates nature and lets the outside in. Senju designed these glass atriums that showcases a variety of 150 different plant species within the glass voids and around the museum. I was really drawn to this museum because of how simple and effective the design is. I think the way they have displayed these plants are unique, which is better than simply showcasing these plants on shelves. These atriums draw in a ton of light and elevates the architecture within the building. Moving on from the main elements of the space, I really like how light and airy the museum is. Typically, cold tones make a space feel dull, but the windows and plants open and liven up the museum.
I wanted to draw the site plan to show the flow of the museum. I think it's very clever how they have the parking on one side and created this path that leads to the museum and café, through to the gallery and back into the parking. I think it creates this sort of journey-like flow where the site works like a circuit in a way. I found this interesting so I might try and do something similar.
Site Plan
Elevation
Museum Plan Perspective
I think the layout of this space is very interesting, so I wanted to draw that for my research. These pillars spaced within the museum go from the floor up to the ceiling. Usually this would look very overwhelming, but I think the white, plain tones and the thickness of the pillars makes the overall space feel light and airy. I think these pillars are multi-functional to this space as it showcases art, creates a sense of division and elevates the space, by drawing the eye up. Also, the colours within the space creates a subtle horizontal line. The flooring and the seating are grey whereas the ceiling, walls and pillars are white. I think this is a clever way to draw the eye up and focus on the art pieces and the surroundings a, rather than the ground. This is a simple and effective way to draw attention to the space, which is something I shall consider when designing my own retail interior.
The Design Museum: OMA
Main Staircase Front Elevation
This museum was created by the architecture firm OMA. This museum was designed to have a new modernised look for the monument located in London. I chose to research this museum as I like the feature staircase on the main floor. Whilst the design is simple, it is still effective to draw the eye up and notice the other levels of the building. Since the interior structure of the building is very horizontal, adding this striking, grand staircase has allowed people to look up and view the brass roof and tiles. Therefore, this creates a balance in the space. I like how the café and gift shop are off to the sides of the store, so the centre of the space is open and can allow people to look at the architecture of the building.
The museum has a lot of windows; some that are part of the railings and some that are exterior windows. I think the use of these windows has helped to create some balance as the colour palette is very brown and neutral. Therefore, adding these windows has opened the space even more and lets the light bounce off of it, creating a well-lit space. So, in my designs, I will consider using windows and lighting as an integral part of my ideas.
Back Elevation
I was intrigued by the flow of this museum, so I wanted to include this into my research of layouts. The stairs seem to have this circuitlike flow where the museum directs people to follow the flow. It features a ray of stairs and turns, which helps to display all the artefacts within this museum. Whilst this layout won’t work for retail stores, I still find it interesting to direct people around the space through the features of design.
Plan
I wanted to draw a perspective of the museum to show where everything is positioned. Like I mentioned on the previous slide, I quite like how they kept the centre of the space open so that everything is around the sides of the building. The space is very huge so I think by creating some simple architecture would have not worked well within the space as it would have been wasteful. Whilst this layout is suitable for museums, it won’t be as useful for a retail store, since the main purpose of space to a retail store would be to maximise space by filling the layout with products. However, I do like how OMA placed their toilets and lifts. I think by moving it to the side is an effective way to use the main centre of the space purely for products.
Perspective
The Flight Gallery:
Plan
Elevation
I struggled with finding clear pictures of the gallery, so I mainly guessed the layout of the space. But from the pictures I was able to produce a rough plan of the gallery. The display shelves are all around the perimeter of the museum whilst the suspended aircrafts and other features are placed in the centre of the gallery. There is also a lot of seating, so this place is suitable for venue hire and for shows. I think this space is more theatrical rather than aesthetic since it is showcasing history, so the layout is appropriate for the space.
Elevation
The Flight Gallery is part of the London Science Museum. The museum showcases a range of airplanes which are suspended from the air. The museum is quite dark and features some artefacts from World War II. The dark atmosphere enhances the shelving displays around the perimeter of the museum whilst the suspended airplanes draw the eyes up. I think this museum is a cool space, but I particularly don’t like how busy the layout is. Obviously, this museum is for showcasing history but from a design perspective, I do not like the clutter of the space.
Mood Board:
This mood board focuses on underwater forms such as coral, shells and body of water. I really like this mood board because I think it will suit well for my luxury retail store, Chloe, because the colours are muted but could help elevate the store. With this board, I carefully chose forms that could be useful to a fashion retail store such as shelving, storage and displays. I think I will most likely use this board for my designs.
Organic Forms:
The shell would be a covering of this spiral staircase to support the weight of the shell. The idea is that the stairs get narrower to form the shape of the shell so I will need to experiment how to design a staircase that does not disrupt the conch shell design. I want to create some feature elements within the space that involves the designs and forms of shells and corals. Here I made a rough idea where I would like to use these elements with the coral acting as a shelving display unit for mainly large items, like bags. The conch shell will be transformed into a stair-case but I am considering keeping the same shape and the natural grooves that form the shell. I think this would add an interesting element within the store so I will try and create this on SketchUp to see if this idea works well.
Here I drew some elements from my mood board where I could use these as structures within my space. I like the water structure more and I think it looks more suitable for a luxury store as maybe a structure, like the egg-shell elements from the Louis Vuitton store in London.
Secondary research on interior drawings:
I like the two-point perspective viewpoint as it gives a better understanding of the space. I don’t necessarily like the style of the drawing but I do like the way they have displayed enough information about the space with the use of colours and details. I will try to incorporate this into my model drawings too.
I decided to choose the luxury French brand Chloé as the brand I wanted to design a store for. I particularly like the warm tones throughout their collection and the luxury feel it has. So, in my designs I will try and replicate their aesthetic whilst adding some interesting elements that will lure customers in. Their style is very boho and feminine so I think these will be main design features to focus on. I think my challenge for designing a store for this brand will be merging the organic form theme and the luxury, feminine aesthetic that embodies the well-established brand. Chloé offers a wide range of products, from shoes to clothing and even bags. However, they are best known for their perfumes so I will be adding a personalised and customisable perfume section where customers can customise the scent and labels of the perfumes. I will also be featuring a ‘bag bar’ where customers can customise the linings and labels of the bags. The store will be located in a mall.
Model 1: Zig-zag layout
With this model, I thought about the layout of the store. I wanted to create this ‘zig-zag’ layout for my model so it can attract people further into the store. The idea is that the objects in the back are larger so they can be seen from the front of the store. Whilst I like this idea I think I need to consider another floor level, especially because I want to create a feature staircase. Also, everything within this model is quite small so it won’t work.
Model 1(version 2):
I wanted to try a different version of the first model as I was not pleased with the outcome of it. I decided to bring the larger structures to the front of the store and the smaller in the back. I thought that this may work better but I was again not pleased with this model. I think the components I used were far too small for this space so it seems very underwhelming. I do like the little booths that I created so I could consider using this in my future models.
Model 2:
With this model, I considered adding a spiral staircase. I was unsure where to place this staircase as I wanted this to be the focal point of the store but I ended up placing it in the back. I still liked the booths I created in my previous model so I added a few in here. I like the large object I made on the right as it adds another floor to the space. I think I prefer this model over the previous one as the elements are much larger and work better. I do think I can try and make the objects larger as the middle space looks empty.
Model 2(version 2):
I still wanted to add the spiral staircase as that is my main design goal, so I created this model. I like the outcome of this model because it elevates the eyes up and has some interesting angles which I think helps to make the spiral staircase stand out better. I decided to make larger booths because in my luxury store design, I wanted to create stations where customers can customise their own perfumes and clothing. So, the booths are integral in my designs for modelling. I think this model can be developed into a much better version that works within the organic form theme that I chose.
Model 3:
I wanted to create an elevated space where the ground floor had cut outs to lure customers in further. I opted for triangle cut outs as I was inspired by the coral research I did. I think the triangle cut outs can be developed into a more organic form, so it works within my theme for my luxury store. I do feel that the space in the front was not used well but I think if that space in the front had shelving or tables it could work. I am pleased with the outcome especially the spiral staircase that can be seen on both levels. I think in development I might combine this model and model 2.2 together since those two were my favourite.
Model 4:
Model 4 was inspired by the design museum’s railings and levels. I had this idea in my head where I would place all these sections and zones within the space but I didn’t think this model achieved that. I found that the numerous zones made the space far too busy and cluttered which would not suit the luxury, clean atmosphere the brand embodies. I also think the sections were not a good use of space and did not flow well within the store. Overall, I am not pleased with this model so I will not be developing this further.
Model 5:
I really like model 5 and I think I will be developing this even further. My drawings were inspired by the images on my mood board. I think the huge arch creates this unique structure that could help differentiate this store. I also think the layout of the store is suitable for the brand as it is very open and spacious whilst creating zones for the different products. The top floor will be for accessories and the ‘bag bar’ whilst the ground floor will feature new seasons, clothing section and the perfume suite inside the little section. I don’t know if the little section I made will be big enough for the perfume suite and if it can possibly hold the shoe section. So I think I will need to adjust that. One thing that I do not like about this model is the large staircase I made because its huge scale does not balance well within the store. I still want to try the spiral staircase so in my developments I Will be swapping the staircase. Overall, I am happy with the model and the drawings of the space.
Model 6:
With this model I had to switch out a few elements so I could create some levels within the space. I don't like layout of this space because it's too small and there isn't a good flow where the eyes are drawn into the space. I added some elements like a narrow structure that is extended and touches the second floor. The reason for this was to draw the eye up and connect both levels of the space because I found that it was too disconnected. I think this model would work better in a different concept and not as a retail interior space because the elements are too far spaced out and I feel that I didn’t make a good use of the space. However, I do like the lounge area, fitting rooms and toilets so I will be adding this to my future models. Often luxury stores have these extravagant toilets and lounge spaces which creates an inviting environment. Overall, I will be using some of the elements within the space in my developed models as I like how they work with the space but I will not be developing this particular model.
Model 7:
This model was my most challenging idea. I struggled with the viewpoints of the space and how to visualise the elements within the space. In my previous models I only made a small levelled section whereas in this model, I created a full floor. I think it really opens the space better than the small sections so in my developments I will consider this because The level allows room for the huge staircase and a lift for access for everyone. The little angular structure I made in the front doesn't work with this space. I think in terms of the brand, Chloé, the structure is leaning towards Avant Grande perhaps, rather than the sophisticated clean aesthetic the company embodies. Therefore, this model will work better in another context, but I do like the full floor level so I will be taking that into consideration when developing my ideas.
Model 8:
I was really pleased with the outcome of this model because of the layout. I think the layout of this model works best compared to all the other models because of the zig-zag formation. I think this helps to divide the space well which is perfect for the wide product range Chloé has to offer. I also like how the back of the store has a lounge area and toilets, which works well. I do think that the fitting room should be somewhere else within the store because the clothing section is in the front so there is an issue in terms of flow, and it can be confusing for customers as they try to find the fitting rooms. In terms of design, I like where I have placed the staircase because it draws attention to the second level. I think maybe the arch that I created could be swapped out for something else, like a more flowing structure like in my mood board. I don't really like the colours I used because they do not work with the Chloé aesthetic which usually consists of neutral tones of pinks, whites, creams and black. So, in my developments, I need to produce a cohesive colour palette.
Model 5 Developed:
Front
Right
Left
Here I have developed model 5 in Sketchup. I do not like the arch that was gaping over the store as it made the space too busy. I think the simplicity in this model looks more sophisticated and better suited for a luxury retail store. I wanted to switch out the staircase with this spiral one, as shown in my Sketchup model but I still like the original design for the staircase. I muted the colour palette because it was far too vibrant and did not suit the brand Chloè well enough. I like how this simple Sketchup model turned out as it has given me a better understanding of the space. However, there is not enough space for the vast product range, and I feel it is too small of a space.
Plan
Final Model:
I decided that Model 8 will be final model for my retail store. I really like the layout of this model and I think it works best compared to the other models. I altered some things such as shortening the height of the staircase because it was too daunting and did not work well once I designed it in Sketchup. I also enlarged the 2nd floor because it did not have enough space. Instead of the straight cut-outs for the entrances of the perfume bar and clothing section, I opted for these arches which elevates the space more and fits in with the luxury store aesthetic. As seen in my drawing on the right, I decided to go for this colour palette, where all the displays are the same colour. I think it adds a sense of cohesiveness.
Toilets and the Lounge Area at the back of the store
Perfume Bar
Bag Bar and Accessories
Here is a closer look of the model. I think I utilized the space well and that there is enough space for products. There are a lot of zones within this space, so I wanted to capture that. I think the large displays work and the spiral staircase fits into the store well too.
Clothing section and Fitting Room in the back
Displays on the second floor
Final Sketchup Model:
Here is my final Sketchup model. I opted for lightwood flooring and a stone material for the arches of the second floor. I think it turned out very well and I really like how all the colours work together. I think it does work with the feminine aesthetic well and represents the brand, Chloe well too. I think there is enough space for the products and I think this space has better flow too.
Clothing section
Spiral staircase
The accessories
Perfume bar Bag bar
Here is a closer look of the store.
Evaluation:
From this entire project I think I did well. Some parts of my project I did better and other parts not so well. I think my research into stores was very good as it gave me a better understanding of spaces and helped me develop my ideas. I also think my mood board has impacted the designs and colours of my space. However, one thing I would improve on is to try and experiment more styles of drawing. I always stick to the same style so I should try and draw differently to perhaps communicate the information better. As for my model making, I am pleased with it because I really tried to create a cohesive and well-thought space that works with the flow and movement of a retail store. I think my drawings and developments could have been better if I once again, drew differently. As for my final model, I really like the outcome of it. The one thing I would do differently is to learn how to make my Sketchup models look more realistic. Since I did not have the full version or the warehouse, I had to make a lot of the components which means I did not have a lot of furniture.