Mackage
Toronto
Design: Burdifilek, Toronto
A premium brand born from the celebration of colder climates, Mackage (Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto) received Store of the Year honors in the Retail Design Institute’s 46th annual International Store Design Competition.
Designed by Toronto-based Burdifilek, Mackage was awarded for overall concept and innovation in lighting design. The collaboration between Burdifilek and Mackage drew inspiration from the urban sensibility of a modern ski chalet, with the environment offering a calm respite from the traditional harried shopping experience.
The 2,600-sq.-ft. space reflects the sexy, modern edge of the Mackage brand, which, after gaining a cult following for its outerwear, has evolved into a premium lifestyle brand. An architectural approach to lighting was used to highlight the product offering, directed around the perimeter, and focused on product zones. The rest of the space received a neutral wash of ambiance lighting.
Subtle sculptural references to snow, ice and nature are expressed in noble materials resembling a warm cocoon from the elements. From the backlit image of the Rocky Mountains to the iceberg-shaped service counter, the environment brings forth notions of nature, winter and the landscape.
Penguin Shop
Toronto
Design: figure3, Toronto
A kiosk-size space – 158 sq. ft. – is home to the first-ever permanent Penguin Shop. Located in the lobby of the book publisher’s Canadian headquarters, the flexible space is designed to foster a sense of discovery, wonder and visual delight. Magnetic book spines are mounted on rolling pantry-style storage which can be easily switched out to re-brand the shop around key marketing themes.
Bergdorf Goodman
New York City
Design: MNA, New York City; Bergdorf Goodman, New York City
The ground floor of Bergdorf Goodman is transformed with an updated, fresh look that also relates to the brand’s storied past and reinforces its luxury brand DNA. The design creates new contemporary areas and a jewelry salon suite, and is marked by highly customized materials and fixturing, and a stylistic echoing of French design of the 1920s and 1930s.
Sport Chek
Toronto
Design: Stoever Jones Design, Calgary, Alberta; Ruscio Studio Inc., Montreal
A standard fleet store has been remade into a 44,000-sq.-ft., two-level flagship offering an experiential shopping experience that takes Sport Chek to the next level. Shoppers walk through a state-of-the art curved LED digital “tunnel” entrance into an immersive environment in which animation, interaction and show-stopping installations are all tied together.
Teavana
Palo Alto, California
Design: Starbucks Coffee Co., Seattle; ArcVision, St. Louis
Teavana demystifies the tea experience and appeals to seasoned and new customers with an interactive and immersive experience. Customers are encouraged to taste, smell and experience tea to discover their perfect blend or flavor. The warm, but neutral wood palette allows the colors of the tea and packaging to shine.
Masseria
Toronto
Design: Burdifilek, Toronto
A new brand makes its debut with a design that elevates the sophistication of the modern pizzeria. Masseria takes its design cues from the rich history of Italian culture, specifically the country’s 1950s and ‘60s “dolce vita” period. The entire space is open, even the food preparation is showcased to illustrate the transparency and quality of the brand’s ingredients.
Desjardins Signature Service
Montreal
Design: Ædifica, Montreal
Serving the affluent clientele of financial cooperative Desjardins Group, Desjardins Signature Service is a prestigious and distinctive space with a sophisticated atmosphere. The design offers a smooth progression from public foyer to semi-private spaces to ensure confidentiality as the customer moves through the consulting/ engagement process. Visitors are welcomed and invited to meet advisors in private offices/consulting pods or meeting rooms. The overall look and feel reflects an elegant yet modern environment focusing on delivering a high-end experience.
BonLook
Pointe-Claire, Quebec
Design: Ædifica, Montreal
Online eyewear designer and retailer BonLook’s first physical store offers an inviting and welcoming environment that feels more like being in a lounge rather than in a store. The minimalist layout has floor-to-ceiling mirrored walls that offer multiple benefits: Customers never have to look for a spot to try on frames. Mirrors reflect and enhance the models on display, and the small space appears larger than it is. There is no cash counter. Customers carry out their transactions online.
Desjardins (mobile branch)
Montreal
Design: Ædifica, Montreal
The first mobile branch for Desjardins Group, a leading cooperative financial group in Canada, is designed as an extension of the branch network. It offers all the financial services of a branch – only in a 39-foot bus. Wood textured floors, soft seating and warm colors make the space human, accessible and welcoming.
Pirch
New York City
Design: Fitch, Columbus, Ohio
Pirch provides a new, experiential way to buy kitchen, bath and outdoor products, with a design that combines 30 working vignettes with hands-on “labs” and expertise in a supportive, urban context. Customers can cook side by side with in-house chefs, experience showers/spa or fire up the grill. The space is designed with modern, elegant residential aesthetic that puts customers at ease.
B&B Italia
New York City
Design: Antonio Citterio Patricia VIel Interiors, Milan
A “black box” store design serves to accentuate the B&B Italian and Maxalto furniture collections. Reflective false ceilings create an increased sense of the space, and large backlit images and adjustable metal mesh dividing elements further accentuate the store. The various areas while connected to one another, offer a neat well-defined interpretation, with the purpose of creating sets that suggest atmospheres, inspirations and emotions, rather than articulating the space into traditional rooms.
Silver Deer
Mexico City
Design: Materia Groupo Forma Arquitectos, Mexico City
Silver Deer redefines its identity with a new design that positions it among the most prestigious men’s clothing stores in the world. The branding creates an identity and place for the Silver Deer man: refined, living in the present and the embodiment of tradition and craft. The use of wood, marble and exposed brick are accentuated by a continuous black granite horizon line around the perimeter. The design uses materials exemplifying a contemporary expression, combined with a character of craftsmanship.
Indigo
Toronto
Design: Burdifilek, Toronto
Canada’s largest bookstore chain debuts a new concept that keeps books at the heart and soul of the experience, but compartmentalizes the space into several core categories. The design cross-pollinates books with pr