A retail space designed for the telecom brand Síminn by Hafsteinn Júlíusson and Karitas Sveinsdóttir, of HAF Studio, creates a unique customer experience in a contemporary interior.
The approach of the designers for this flagship store, based in Reykjavík, presents the latest tech gadgets in a space that has a warm, homely feel. Comments Júlíusson, 'We wanted to create a store where users can try out the products in a real-life setting: sitting on the sofa and exploring the home theatre options, or having a coffee at the bar and browsing what's on offer on the latest table computer.'
Incorporating the client's identity in an engaging way was another high priority, which is where the beguiling shade of blue comes in that ties a thread throughout the whole retail scenography. This is teamed with white-stained ash and pine surfaces that give the space a particularly Nordic feel. Teamed with concrete and felt, the interior is completed with all-Scandinavian furnishings, from the light fittings and furniture to the design details, such as the NotKnot cushions by Icelandic studio Umemi.
'What is interesting about this project is that we worked from the aspect of experience design, in particular focusing on every little detail to make the customer experience unique, with consideration given to the interaction with sales representatives,' comments the designers. Cue the bespoke, and a little bit quirky, display units that are flexible in form and function. The mobility in the base units offers staff the option to move them around ensuring the workstation layouts adapt to the requirements on any particular day. This answers the design brief accurately, which called for the store to be interchangeable and capable of being adaptable to various events, from conferences and presentations to musical performances.
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This project is selected to appear in Powershop 5: New Retail Design, which explores the best in retail design, showcasing contemporary and inspiring interiors – everything from pop-up shops to multilevel showrooms. This book is known as the 'retail bible' of Frame Publishers, a barometer of the trends in the field. If you are a designer, now is your chance to have your work featured. For further details about participating go here, or to submit your project(s) for consideration, please email books@frameweb.com.
