ATLANTA — August 12, 2024 — NELSON Worldwide, an award-winning architecture, design, and strategy firm, welcomes Chris Curley, AIA, as National Practice Leader, Hospitality. In his new role, Curley will collaborate with the hospitality and mixed-use teams to secure winning projects. He will focus on business development to bring new opportunities and lead teams to land these projects. Additionally, Curley will oversee projects to ensure client satisfaction, maintain high-quality standards, and achieve project profitability.

With over 35 years of experience in architecture and interior design, Curley takes pride in his passion for quality design. For the past 20 years, he has specialized in hospitality design projects both nationally and globally. At NELSON Worldwide, Curley aims to leverage his mastery to support his teammates’ success, prioritizing service and a commitment to quality.

“Chris brings extensive knowledge and experience to our team that aligns with NELSON’s commitment to creating purpose-driven spaces,” notes John “Ozzie” Nelson Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at NELSON Worldwide. “His proven track record of stellar projects and unique entrepreneurial perspective will secure new ventures and lead teams to success.”

Throughout his career, Curley has led teams across various project types from hospitality to public assembly, mixed-use, office, institutional and educational. He played a pivotal role in founding the TVS Hospitality Architecture & Interior Design practice and established an Atlanta presence for the HKS Hospitality Design Practice. Curley was a founding member of the TVS Sustainable Design Committee in 1997, driving ideas and focus on sustainable design before the advent of LEED and other rating systems. In 2012, he started his own architectural and interior design firm, which completed multiple projects in  three years of operation, including hotel renovation, corporate headquarters and retail projects.

Curley has led teams to deliver exceptional design services across various market segments worldwide. His passion for design and commitment to service have resulted in numerous client requests for his involvement in successive projects over the years.

What does the future of retail design look like? What does the store of the future look like? At the Shop Fitting and Store Design exhibits at EuroShop 2020 our teammates explored the fair’s oasis of all things design checking out the latest and greatest design solutions of today. Along the way, we were inspired and enlightened by a sea of temporary design and modular concepts brought to the Dusseldorf by talented designers, architects, and creatives from around the world.

Here are a few solutions we saw time after time and that have become trends we’re seeing in stores everywhere:

Flex Systems

Consumers of today are always looking to see something new. With this in place, retailers are looking for design solutions that offer flexibility so that in-store merchandise and services can easily be adapted and fitted to the next big thing consumers are looking for. At EuroShop 2020 we saw lots of easy-to-move seating systems, peg walls that are easily interchangeable, and mobile architecture systems.

Retail Goes Green

As we explored in our most recent sustainability report, the design industry is largely promoting biophilic design. Bringing natural moments to life through green design elements such as living walls and plant-like elements was widely seen at EuroShop 2020. We predict greenery will only continue to show up in retail design as sustainability and the focus on wellness continues to grow.

Personalized Lighting

Light does more than just illuminate space as made clear at this year’s fair. Hundreds of lighting vendors showcased the endless ways that lighting can be personalized to not only optimize a space but speak to brand. From custom modular systems to branded neon signs, retailers are using light in more personalized and unique ways than ever before.

Phygital Galore

In a technology charged society, it has become apparent that digital design elements are here to stay. At EuroShop 2020, digital creators from all over the world shared digital solutions that create bold visual moments or improve store efficiency. Some of the most popular digital elements seen at EuroShop 2020 included digital price and art displays to AI-powered dressing rooms. As mentioned before, digital isn’t going anywhere BUT we do predict a shift in its purpose on the horizon.

Micro-Experiences

As we discussed at NRF 2020 this January, the trend of Micro-Experiences made an appearance at EuroShop 2020 a month later. As we shift to an experience-based economy, consumers are looking for new ways to interact with consumers pushing architects and designers to create in-store experiences that offer new moments of connection offered by brand products and services.

Curious to see what else we explored while at EuroShop 2020? Click here for key takeaways and more coverage!

Traveling for work has its perks and this week it was being in New York City the same day as Westfield’s World Trade Center at the Oculus opened. 15 years after the devastating 9/11 terror attacks, the 350,000 square-foot mall is the newest destination rebuilding New York’s new downtown. The mall will eventually feature over 100 retail stores and already includes brands like Apple, Pandora, H&M and Lacoste.

The name Oculus refers to the 160-foot-tall roof design that is meant to evoke the image of a dove being released from a child’s hands, symbolizing hope and perseverance. The energy that it exuded – with people eating, shopping and celebrating – was like no other and is definitely worth a trip if you’re in the city!

Photo Credit: Real Estate Weekly NY