WOW! 6 projects of retail design to visit in 2023

What better way to start the year than planning the best projects of retail design we want to visit in 2023?

It is a purpose for lovers of architecture, retail and design. Or if not, it helps us to know what is going on in this industry, as we have been collecting for years in this blog.

Trends in the retail sector

Trends in the retail sector In what context do we make these proposals? At the end of the confinement, in the new challenges that arise for retailers. Challenges that imply knowing how to adapt to new customer consumption trends.

Leaving aside contexts such as inflation, logistical problems and the global growth of e-commerce, the physical shopping experience, even combined with the digital one (the phygital concept), is very present in these five stores that we want to introduce you to boot 2023.

In this regard, elements such as sustainability, omnichannel, innovation, digitization, proximity and personalization will be decisive for the trade to realize the prospects of success during this year.

Elements such as sustainability, omnichannel, innovation, digitization, proximity and personalization will be decisive for the trade to realize the prospects of success during this year.

1. HARMAY STORE (Shenzhen, China)

Considering the expansion of HARMAY and its position as a retailer, a mandatory stop is in Shenzhen.

The prosperous city on the other side of the border with Hong Kong is known for hosting a very advanced, young and enterprising target population. And for them, it is the 485-square-meter space built in the Bonjour Center, a luxury shopping centre in the Futian district.

Thinking about Shenzhen’s industrial legacy and its constantly dynamic urban fabric as a reference, a new definition of “warehouse culture” emerges here thanks to a very pampered aesthetic in which the pipes and their arrangement, both inside and outside, surprise their own and strangers.

2. ARC’TERYX (Jilin, China)

We have been talking and praising China, long and hard, its commitment to the most innovative design in physical commerce, the incredible libraries spread throughout the country.

Today, it’s time to change the segment and get into… the ski resorts! Specifically, at the Beidahu ski resort in Jilin, China, where the Arc’teryx store creates an incredible flow of interaction between people and the Canadian brand.

This clothing firm for high mountains and all snow sports has relied on the designer Still Young to design a space where pure and hard sales are only 1/3 of the store.

The objective is to interact with the brand and with your family, friends, etc. in its indoor and outdoor spaces, including an all-encompassing terrace. A perfect contrast between the glacier outside and the warmth emanating from this exciting space that you should know no matter what.

3. PILOT OFFICE Store (SEONGDONG-GU, South Korea)

Fans of the Pilot pen and material brand are in luck. The Japanese writing equipment brand, known for its precise processing techniques and excellent performance, has opened its first concept store in Korea.

This history linked to delicate and diverse writing instruments, focused on emotionally experiencing the superior technicality of the pen, is very present in the collections sheltered by the work of Maumstudio.

With light cobalt as an ambient tone, we are talking about something that goes far beyond a design flagship store with thematic and specific stationery as its theme.

4. RtA (New York, USA)

Sustainable retail trends make more sense than ever in the brand new RtA showroom in New York.

Throughout this boutique in Manhattan’s SoHo, designed and executed by the architect Dan Brunn for the Road to Awe streetwear brand, we come across a long display case filled with broken glass, occupying the ground floor of an emblematic historic building.

Another very advanced trend in West Hollywood and Las Vegas. The industrial, streamlined and contemporary, with a raw tone, symbiosis with the tones of red lights that invade the fitting rooms and the environment, sometimes reminding us of those remarkable walks through the Red-Light District in Amsterdam.

5. Braun Buffel (Putrajaya, Malaysia)

The Spacemen studio has been commissioned to design the latest Braun Buffel flagship store in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

It is the first in a series of conceptual spaces titled ‘Urban Bloom’, and is conceived to be that place between gallery and laboratory, where the futuristic aesthetic offers a minimalist but maximum approach to luxury.

The centrepiece of the space is an abstract interpretation of a living tree that sprouts from floor to ceiling. The organic silhouette of the moss-covered installation, created by Ohsum Mossum, offers a calming contrast to the open-plan design of the store, fusing architecture with sculpture.

6. Reflect Studio (Istambul, Turkey)

The ‘Reflect Studio’ store in the Ottoman capital exudes a futuristic air from every corner thanks to its furniture created from artificial intelligence and innovative materials.

Under the design/architecture of Salon Alper Derinboğaz, it aims to facilitate a modernized representation of our ever-evolving relationship with nature. In other words: apply a biophilic and holistic approach to retail design.

They do this by bringing innovative materials and experimental recycling methods to AI-generated furniture in the environment, offering a new living habitat.

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