Image Credit : Sharyn Cairns
www.sharyncairns.com.au
Project Overview
Urban Attitude is an eclectic giftware store renowned for the party environment of their established Acland Street and Chapel Street stores. The site selected to launch their new brand and flagship store was the heritage-listed former Fitzroy Post Office, located on a prominent corner in Fitzroy.
HASSELL was commissioned to work in collaboration with Fabio Ongarato Design to create a ‘party’ atmosphere through an integrated interior and graphic design approach. The concept that resonated was the idea of a giant puzzle, a 3D game of Tetris, and the functionality of the concept allows generous merchandising opportunities, without becoming overwhelming.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
HASSELL
Scott Walker
Rebecca Trenorden
Cara Gabriel
Robert Harper
External
Fabio Ongarato Design
Project Brief
Urban Attitude is a novelty giftware store, with various sites around Melbourne. To launch their new brand and flagship store, HASSELL accepted the challenge to create order out of chaos, while maintaining the party-like environment for which the brand is renowned.
The new store occupies the heritage-listed former Fitzroy Post Office, located on a prominent corner in Fitzroy. Working in collaboration with Fabio Ongarato Design an integrated interior and graphic design approach was developed. The concept that resonated was the idea of a giant puzzle, a 3D game of Tetris.
The functionality of the concept allows generous merchandising opportunities, without becoming overwhelming. Product categories are separated by creating zones within a forest of 3D Tetris frames. Floor-based blocks act as merchandising plinths with integrated storage, connecting and disconnecting to form the articulation. Lightweight skeletal frames suspended overhead play with the scale of the four metre ceiling height and provide a location for hanging signage and ad hoc clamp-on spotlighting.
The blocks and frames are designed as modular units, constructed using an off the shelf system. The combination of the modularity and proprietary connectors made for an efficient, fast construction period and flexible merchandising. Some existing units and the counter were also preserved.
Project Need
The interior design and graphic identity was developed in tandem with Fabio Ongarato Design. FOD was commissioned to design the new identity and branding for Urban Attitude and recommended that the interior design concept begin during briefing to facilitate a holistic creative process. This involved extensive briefing into the values of the brand, what it meant to walk into a ‘party’ and to capture the profile of the Urban Attitude party-goer.
The Tetris concept was explored as solid blocks and skeletal frames in the fitout and translated to a 2-dimensional form as the Escher-style patterning across the packaging and website identity. A true collaboration between interior and graphic design was refreshing.
A bespoke result was created. The blocks and frames are designed as modular units, constructed using a proprietary framing system and supplemented by infill panels for the boxes. The combination of reuse, modularity and proprietary connectors made for an efficient, fast construction period and flexible merchandising. The walls were lined with powdercoated, perforated steel sheet, which held standard hang-sell fixtures.
Colour plays an important role as juxtaposition to the grand, Victorian building. The ornate charcoal facade is punctured by a bright blue arched portal, introducing the notion of novelty and contrast from the point of entry. Black and white custom merchandising mesh lines the walls, alternating to reinforce the change in category. The blocks below are subtle white and grey, accompanied by bright blue, red, green and white frames overhead.
Design Challenge
The challenge was to allow a vast amount of product to be displayed, while controlling the chaos that it evoked. Custom mesh lined portions of the walls, stopping and starting to frame categories or “stories”. The merchandising/storage plinths were solid Tetris forms, while skeletal Tetris frames overhead played with the scale of the nooks.
Sustainability
The fitout uses proprietary product to create a bespoke result. The blocks and frames are designed as modular units, constructed using a proprietary framing system and supplemented by infill panels for the boxes. The combination of reuse, modularity and proprietary connectors made for an efficient, fast construction period and flexible merchandising. The walls were lined with powdercoated, perforated steel sheet, which held standard hang-sell fixtures.
Interior Design - Retail
This award recognises building interiors, with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes and aesthetic presentation. Consideration given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
More Details