The Zwilling Shanghai flagship store has been selected as one of the world’s three best retail store designs in the annual EuroShop RetailDesign Awards.
The store blends retailing with cooking classes and a restaurant, with a focus on traditional western and eastern themes combined with “a puristic and understated interior”.
The store’s achievement was announced at a function in Shanghai coinciding with the C-star retail industry trade show. Organised by research and training company EHI and Messe Dusseldorf the awards select three stores out of 71 nominees, with all three equally recognised. The other winners this year were L&T Sport in Osnabruck in Germany and Jigsaw’s The Shop at Bluebird in London.
Of the Zwilling Shanghai store, the judges said “dynamic changes in colours, materials and music provide contrast to differentiate individual areas of the store”.
“Bathed in light, the ground floor features light oak and dark walnut, a sand-coloured terrazzo floor, and steel and brass frames, which all serve as a backdrop for the products, providing a warm, Mediterranean atmosphere. Dedicated to various food concepts, the upper floor is characterised by varying floor heights and seating.”
With tabletops made of blue glass and lighting elements made of brass, the store’s overall design is reminiscent of Shanghai’s Art Deco heritage.
A 36-metre-long wooden table with teal velvet chairs adds a rustic touch to a fine-dining area, where visitors are invited to enjoy a meal.
“The customer encounters the brand’s product world authentically – through a culinary adventure or hands-on cooking school experience.”
Surfing in the city
L&T Sport’s store, created by German fashion house Lengermann + Trieschmann, features 5000sqm of retail space over five floors. One of the store’s main attractions is the Hasewelle, a wave pool where surfers can test the latest boards right there in the store. Polygonal lines form the basis of the store design. The railings, whose lines are shaped in accordance with this design, are staggered across the floors in such a way that each floor and each position provides a new view of the Hasewelle pool.
In order to integrate the individual sporting goods brands into the design, the store refrains from the usual shop-in-shop brand solutions. Members can train in high-altitude conditions in an 800sqm Premium City-Gym. Separated from the store by nothing more than glass walls, the gym is part of the sporting goods store while also serving as an extension of its core business.
A cabinet of curiosity
The Shop at Bluebird is owned by British fashion company Jigsaw and specialises in high-end brands from the worlds of fashion, beauty, art and design. The concept store’s diverse offerings are housed in a heritage-protected 19th-century historical coach house on Floral Street in Covent Garden, London.
“Striking, opulent decor and design elements combine to create a ‘cabinet of curiosity’,” the judges said.
An atrium filled with natural light and a cobblestone floor creates an open-air ambience in the middle of the store. A custom-made, cube-shaped installation with 20 reflective surfaces hanging from the ceiling creates an artistic effect by reflecting and distorting its surroundings.
“The design concept plays with geometric forms and curved lines, combining traditional and modern elements harmoniously. Wallpapers in coordinated colours and textures complement the multifaceted aesthetic, consisting of elegant Art Deco patterns and floral Victorian motifs.”
