âExperienceâ NYC Retail
I had the (rare) fortune last week of having a few moments to check out some of the latest retail concepts in New York. And knowing in the back of my mind that âexperienceâ might be the most overused word in retail in 2017, I went in expecting to âexperience somethingâ and letâs just say NYC retail didnât let me down. Whether it be interactive, personalized or just over the top grandeur in flagship scale, there was plenty to check out and really dive deep into some of the brand stories. Some of my favorites included:
The new Google experience was pure delight â letting all of us feel like âwe were kids againâ. Playing with âbig kid toysâ via the VR goggles, the AR merchandising presentations, and even the Stranger Things Photo Experience and âPhoto Boothâ brought pure play into the shopping experience (and all executed fairly simply). The associates did a phenomenal job continuously highlighting the features and benefits of the products that were delivering the âexperiencesâ. Thanks Google for offering a moment of respite on a cold fall day â for a second we forgot we were shopping!
American Eagle
Unbeknownst to us we arrived on opening day! Two things made this an exceptional experience: 1. The associates. They could not have been more proud of the store and were happy to show it off and 2. The open platform for the store mixing retail, customization and dwell time into a cohesive space that felt part retail, part atelier, part studio space and part hip hangout. We were impressed with AEâs customization offering; it initially appeared like minor accessories could be added to your denim wear, but apparently their associates have already pulled off some pretty impressive, custom denim looks for customers. As well we were drawn to the real estate dedicated to supporting customers â offering free laundry for local college students as well as a cooperative work space and lounge.
Adidas 5th Avenue Flagship
I always love it when brands go big and go bold. The Adidas Flagship on 5th Avenue does just that, creating a customer journey that intertwines a voluminous environment with a mix of personal spaces, customized experiences, retail vignettes and educational platforms. While the product is truly hero presented via dynamic visual merchandising stories, itâs the unexpected moments at every turn that really bring this brand experience to life. Whether it be the testing area for product trial, the print shop for personalization, the customized shoe shop offering curated opportunities or the juice bar (yes, even refreshments have been incorporated to align with the brand) there are experiences for every athlete.
Perfect for the holidays, YSL created a simple, yet well-choreographed experience for its SoHo pop-up. Highlighting both fragrance and cosmetics, the store brought trial to the forefront. Having their national style artist there was the perfect start for one-on-one consultations, but the brand married that with a âvirtual trialâ system that was flawless in updating selections in the moment. And to top it off you could fully customize your product case via in-store engraving in only a matter of seconds with the design of your choice.
Viewpoint Magazine: The Seven Key Insights For A Modern Workplace
The office remains unparalleled for fostering connections, and both employers and employees recognize its role in professional growth. As the workplace landscape continues to change, offices must adapt to accommodate and empower these new ways of working. Workplace Design Leader Elizabeth Levine shares 7 key trends in today’s modern workplace.
Read more in the June issue of Viewpoint Magazine here.
Fin Awards
Careers
Work Design Magazine: Creating Connection Through Space â Castlelakeâs New Minneapolis Office
NELSON Worldwide guides Castlelake to further connect both employees and clients through their workplace.
Read more with Work Design Magazine here.
Fast Food Goes Organic
While attending a wedding this past weekend in Santa Rosa, California, I did a double take when I drove by a drive-thru restaurant with grass growing from the roof and a water tower in the lawn. I quickly recognized the Amy’s logo – not because of my familiarity with the restaurant, but from the numerous Amy’s products (from soups to frozen pizza) I’ve consumed over the years. Known for their organic and gluten-free options, Amy’s Kitchen products are sold at most major grocery stores from Walmart to Fresh Thyme.
What I didn’t know was that in July of 2015, the brand opened their first drive-thru restaurant less than 15 miles from their headquarters in Petaluma, CA. Other than soda, everything on their menu is organic (with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options). But beyond their menu, the brand celebrates their roots in every touchpoint of the experience – from solar panels, to the living roof, to the tower collecting rainwater to help sustain the landscaping, the fast food prototype seems to be a perfect extension of the wholesome brand.
With today’s consumer more focused on overall wellness and transparency versus low calorie and low carb, a true drive-thru prototype built on a strong brand story and healthier options has the potential to gain popularity. So if you are ever in Sonoma, make time to check it out (…eating organic will make you feel better about the wine tasting that will be sure to follow)!
Photo Credit: Amy’s Drive Thru, KQED Food, Business Insider
Insurance Provider Technology Center
The Amenity Effect: Enhancing The Shopping Experience
Amenities have a profound effect on the value of a building, and new unique experiences make a lasting impression for consumers, employees, hotel guests, and residents. Our mixed-use teammates set out to explore current and future amenity trends in our latest blog series, The Amenity Effect. Follow along as we dive deep into the environments where we work, shop, live, and thrive and take a closer look at the amenities that help make these environments flourish.
___________________________________________
After highlighting some thoughts on live and work, itâs time to unpack the play amenities that make up vibrant shopping destinations. Now more than ever, consumers are looking for a differentiated shopping experience, and amenities like ride share lounges, curbside pickup, and locally-driven food halls are replacing outdated mall offerings of the past.
Earlier this year, we set out to discover what experiential, new offerings shoppers were looking for by creating a retail amenity challenge in the absence of this yearâs March Madness tournament. The top choice for 2020, a beer garden, highlighted consumersâ desires for unique food and beverage concepts that allow them to connect with friends and family, unwind, and tap into a more localized offering. When stay at home orders were lifted, people flocked to these venues, seeking that outdoor social ambiance.
Concert venue came in at a close second, which confirms consumersâ on-going attraction to experiences over products. People are inherently drawn to music, and while it may be awhile before stadiums are selling out again, there is always a place for live music at a local shopping center.
Farmerâs market and nature trail amenities tied for third revealing consumersâ growing interest in wellness. From fresh food opportunities, to fitness, this overarching theme should continue to be a focus for every development.
There arenât many new malls being built, but as the big box anchors go dark and the redevelopment opportunities present themselves, we can position the right mix of amenities to enrich an existing center. NELSON works through many of these redevelopments around the country and weâre noticing that providing programming and experiences to attract and retain consumers is key.
More amenities and service offerings that enhance and bring value to a shopping destination:
- Concierge services – Providing not just valet ride share pickup areas but spaces, environments, and even lounges help improve the experience of arrival and departure from a property
- Curbside pickup and returns – Develop creative ways to utilize excess parking and retail space to set up mini distribution within shopping centers to safely and efficiently deliver merchandise to the consumer
- Hands-free shopping â Consumers shop hands-free and when they are done, arrive to a central distribution hub to gather their purchases and be on their way
- Hobby tenants âThere is a place in the shopping center mix for the creative community in maker shops, places where people can come to learn how to use tools, 3D printing, computer programs and take classes to further develop their creative hobbies
- Outdoor venues â Plazas that serve up splash fountains, ice skating rinks, movies in the park, outdoor fitness, fashion shows, and artist guilds help energize a center’s value
- Patio dining â As tenants themselves seek additional outdoor dining, developers are looking for opportunities to integrate communal dining al fresco experiences
- Interactive technology â From kids play areas, to walkways and stairwells, integrating next level technology and lighting can provide for experiential exploration throughout these centers
- Crossover space/Pop-ups â Taking advantage of those in-between spaces along secondary pathways can provide opportunities for micro tenants and enhance a curated experience throughout a property
Itâs important as designers that we balance programmatic needs of the client with human nature to curate inspiring environments and experiences. Social connectivity with physical distancing may be today’s design problem, but we must plan with flexibility for a better tomorrow.
Hanging Around
Being part of the Hospitality Studio, I am always interested in staying at unique and different lodging experiences when traveling. So, on a recent trip to the Pacific Northwest with my husband and friends, we journeyed a little further north than originally planned to spend the night in sphere tree houses. It was definitely worth it!
Located in a coastal rainforest on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, the spheres are the creation of Tom Chudleigh. We had a chance to meet Tom and see his workshop where he is currently constructing more sphere tree houses. He utilizes techniques from boat building when constructing and outfitting the spheres. Practically everything is made by Tom, even the hinges and locks for the windows and doors.
The spaces inside the spheres are incredible efficient with storage nooks in any âopenâ space. Each are equipped with a bed, seating and a kitchenette area enough to make coffee or tea in the morning. There is no running water in the spheres but the bath facilities are very close by. Each sphere is hung in middle of three trees in a way that doesnât harm but allows the tree to continue to grow and thrive.
If you ever find yourself on Vancouver Island, I high recommend making the journey to forest and staying in a Free Spirit Sphere!
Photo credit: Free Spirit Sphere
On Tour with The Green Room
Welcome to The Green Room, Baked by SubwayÂź
Hot on the heels of developing the SubwayÂź Fresh Forward global restaurant concept, FRCH NELSON was approached to conceptualize a traveling pop-up activation to hit the road for a series of Summer music festivals across the country. Building off the momentum of Subwayâs new restaurant image and visual identity, we looked for opportunities to amplify and distill the brandâs expression for the music festival masses. We worked closely with the brand team on programming the pop-up experience and collaborated with IMG Live to maintain the design intent all the way through execution.
So how did we create an experience that is authentic to the brand and delivers something thatâs memorable and of value to the festival audience?
Turn it Up
We envisioned a Subway branded oasis to pulsate with the energy of a music festival. Leveraging our green architectural fin from the new restaurant concept, we established a festival sized beacon to hold the visual identity and help attract festival goers to (and ultimately into) the activation. Once inside, the green fin becomes the basis for our live stage feed, illuminated focal, and DJ booth only to turn the corner and house a run of cold cases that display a bounty of freshly made sandwiches.
Feed the Need
Everyone loves free stuff… Especially with the added perk of some much needed air conditioning! Scheduled in between set-times, sandwich and swag giveaways satisfy festival goers with something that means something. Providing a nod to the personalization found in Subway restaurants, we planned for a saucing and topping station to give each guest a place to customize their sandwich. Specialty beverages are poured to provide festival goers with a reliable place to refresh and stay hydrated throughout the weekend. Just as everyone is fed, festival goers are surprised by the unmistakable scent of freshly baked cookies that build anticipation for a surprise cookie giveaway and unexpected sweet treat to beat the heat.
Stay Lit
At the heart of the lounge experience, we treated the floor plan as a flexible canvas to move and evolve with the schedule of each day. A fabric ceiling panel is suspended from above to provide an overhead grounding device and dynamic backdrop for illuminated projections that activate each evening. Below the ceiling, illuminated modular lounge seating comes to life at night to further signal that the party is always popping in The Green Room. The lounge seating is configured to move easily and make room for a pop-up stage that showcases acoustic acts via impromptu live performances throughout each weekend.
Hang Fresh
We embedded a âV.I.P.â seating perch at the front of the experience to provide guests a place within the Green Room to chill without missing a beat. This embedded vantage provides a vista to the outside happenings while providing a visual sense of destination to passersby to assure that everyone can see-and-be-seen. We outfitted our front yard with a flexible array of outdoor games and activities and specified large, group hammocks to give weary festival goers a necessary respite.
Share the Love
Amidst playful branded artwork panels, we identified an opportunity for guest engagement in the form of a step and repeat animated photo booth. The photo-op provides guests with an interactive opportunity to capture themselves in a dynamic fashion and share via social media for a kinetic, in-the-moment extension within The Green Room. Check the Instagram feed #SubYAY to see some of the results and see more of the activation in action.
After stops this Summer at Hangout Fest, Governors Ball, and Bonnaroo, we were finally able to catch up with the activation at Firefly Festival in Dover, DE. What a trip! It was beyond exhilarating to finally witness and participate in a party that we had a role in planning. Guests were overjoyed and literally lined up to get in and get a taste. Keep your eyes peeled for more polished photos to show up on our website or feel free to reach out if youâd like to talk about how your brand might show up at a music festival next season.