My measure of success for the stores in Westfield (many of them new concepts) is how much they can generate a ‘Wake-up’ effect in the shoppers who pass through them.

Westfield is a glittering, shining shopping beacon - as I stepped inside I audibly gasped and simultaneously overheard the girl next to me exclaim to her friend ‘this is mental!’

Inevitably however, as you journey deeper into the centre (or center), one is in danger of falling prey to Mall Fatigue. This can hit at any point in your visit without warning - symptoms include inertia, a glazed expression and a feeling of ‘it’s all blurring into one’ and ‘I need a sit down’.

Which is why for me, it is the stores and brands that manage to Wake-up customers that really stand out. The following stores/brands are highlights of ones that fit the Wake-up measure of success:

Neals Yard. A small store with big impact. The tree right in the centre of the entrance gives the space an organic heart and emphasises Proactive Wellness brand values, with seating and books placed around it where customers can sit and browse, test products or read and learn about keeping well.

Timberland. The store oozes authenticity, from its community ‘totem’ highlighting Timberland’s eco credentials to the materials palette titled ‘store content’. The store is as much a brand communication tool as a transactional environment, Timberland’s voice is loud, clear and green.

Playstation. A pop up Sing Star space was attracting big crowds (including us) keen to watch people make fools of themselves or make themselves the fools. With four rooms, each dressed as a different retro living room and with dress up boxes, Playstation brought a bit of personal home the enormous Westfield. We had a sing-a-long to Take That and got really into it, not realising everyone could watch us on a screen outside. Humiliation and happiness in equal measure, this was a real Playstation coup.

As we left, we got stuck in the crowd of screaming girls watching Lemar croon, the final very loud Wake-up of the day.

By Zoë Daniels

The 1.6 million square foot Westfield is Europe’s biggest inner-city shopping centre with 21m people expected to visit each year. This is a truly global concept, with shops from over 15 countries and 16 brands new to the UK.

Where better for Oasis to launch their new and unique concept store, designed by us here at Household.

We couldn’t help but feel proud at the launch of the store. The beaming grins of MD Sharon O’Connor and Creative Director Nadia Jones as they cut the ribbon were testament to truly exciting new concept for Oasis.

The store marks a Massive step change for Oasis, benchmarking a new direction and establishing their position as a high street innovator. As leaders in environmental brand expressions that are about ‘getting people into action,’ ours was the agency chosen by Oasis to set their course.

We wanted to create an Oasis signature unique to Westfield. Working with the team, Oasis created bespoke collections and fabric prints for the Westfield site - from the panels in the fitting rooms to the dresses to the bags you take the dresses home in, these prints are unique to Westfield.

So back to the launch…the buzz was tangible. Oasis shop staff were dressed up and ready to get down to business, Mary Portas ‘Queen of shops’ dropped by with her TV crew to congratulate the Oasis team on their brand new look and customers were invited to the Oasis shopping party with a series of in-store events and treats which included an in-store nail bar, antioxidant refreshment from Sip and a Fashion Lucky Dip. The lucky first 100 shoppers were treated to luxurious Club 100 goodie bags.

Recognition for the design has begun early. It has been selected as one of 30 stores from 300 to feature in Westfield’s internal marketing book of ‘best loved concepts’. We’re sure customers will be equally swept off their feet by the new look.

Arriving at Earls Court, one of the first things I noticed were vinyl sentences strategically placed on the road, the pavement, the wall, the roundabout, the carpet... they were taking me on a journey. As I walked around the show I became involved in a game of discovery as I spotted more and more sentences such as ‚'008_is bath taps you can turn with your toes' and '062_answers new questions'. What did it all mean? Were they all related? Arriving at the centre of the show I discovered a large black board wall, and the answer to my question, or rather, the question to all the answers. 'What is good design?'

A concept put together by Richard Shed, is explained; 'What is good design? We asked 100 creative practitioners and industry specialists to answer this question in less than 20 words. The resulting quotes form a snapshot of thoughts and feelings that reflect the wide cultural, social and technological context of design in 2008. This list is by no means definitive and should act as an inspirational provocation for discussion and debate.'

I loved it. It was clever, it was an integral part of the show, it made me smile, and got me thinking. And so on my long tube journey home I wondered, how would I have answered?

Good design works, is clear, is thorough, is well thought through, is insightful, and importantly, makes you smile.

The list could go on, but if I had to give one answer it would be: Good design communicates - in the right place, and at the right time - and in doing so it gets people into action.

By Sarah Peake

A celebration of ‘all things food’ has come to Whiteleys and with it a breath of fresh air into a previously stale shopping centre. In the place of trampolines and uninspiring RMU’s  there is a traiteur, greengrocer, home made pasta stall, deli, and cheese counter.

Foodinc represents a new movement in food retailing. A simple, confident 

concept that is an exciting alternative format for food shopping. They have 

created a credible shopping experience customers will engage with. From a commercial perspective, this is also a very clever use of space. Foodinc is about entertaining and driving revenue simultaneously.

By getting customers in the ‘mood for food’, this in an odd way endorses the food court offer on the second floor of Whiteleys. Customers walking in are 

invited into a culinary conversation through well placed talking points, and 

tastings to tickle the tastebuds.

Foodinc has a free range feel to it. The hall has been divided into modular stalls that stretch accross the floor and invite customers into an inspiring browse amongst the products on display.

Quick FoodInc facts:

The philosphy behind Dominic Ford (of Harvey Nichol’s Food Hall) and his 

partner Patrick McDonald’s latest venture  is ‘a restaurant approach to food 

retail’

Stalls are made of stainless steel and glass, designed by forward thinking 

architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands

It only sells top quality fresh products that are in season

500 bins of wines and spirits, spoil you for choice and with a ‘try before you buy’ system, you know what you’re getting.

Their café will soon be open daily and will serve breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner and there’s also a gourmet hot dog stand as well as an ice cream counter.

It seems that ‘pop-up shops’ are the talk of the minute in the retail world. Everyone is doing it, from Chanel to GAP, all over the world brands are trying to capture audiences in ways the standard format cannot, with an exciting spontaneity that shouts exclusivity.

Well, it appears that the trend is spreading.  On a recent weekend visit to see my parents, I turned the corner onto their familiar road to find an empty make-shift table with football stickers and other such collectables scattered across the pavement.  I was later informed that apparently I had just missed out on East Finchley’s very own ‘pop-up shop’.  

The table belonged to a neighbour, Joe, aged 10, selling his old toys to the local kids.  When my parents asked if he was raising money for charity, he answered "Nope. I'm just making a bit of cash."  

Joe has since appeared twice with his make-shift stall so business must be good; is our young entrepreneur the future Branson? Perhaps not, but it certainly reminds us that pop-up shops are not the modern invention of retailers but a trend borrowing from the retailing techniques of the past.

Are we witnessing a 21st century adaptation of the original street peddlers and the beginnings of a new-age market square?

By Siu-lan Choi

Bas Berck of Merkx + Girod, the architects behind the new look of Dutch logistics company TNT have based their design on the concept of ‘Self service where possible, full service where needed’.

By bringing the service desks into the centre of the store, the logistics are visible to customers. This affords the stores with a sense of transparency entirely fitting with the ‘heart on your sleeve’ trend. Customers are demanding more and more honesty from the brands they engage with, there is a prevailing attitude of ‘don’t treat me like an idiot.’  It’s about laying costs bare, telling it like it is - no more hidden extras.

Another upshot of bringing what is traditionally behind the scenes into front of house is it gives customers the choice of full service and/or a do it themselves experience. This taps into another important trend, the customer in the driving seat trend. This is about ultimate accessibility and flexible customer journeys tailored around different customer needs. As the customer, I get to choose how I interact with the environment which means I am in control, I can make my own experience. 

By Zoe Daniels

Pictures from http://www.dezeen.com

What: London Festival of Architecture: Architecture Workshops 

Where: The British Museum 

When: Saturday 5th July

Building Buildings

The big idea: Join David Allsop’s interactive workshop invited all to create a  flat-pack paper installation of miniature landmark buildings across the globe from the past & present, thus creating a global multicoloured paper city.

See the photos of the city template and the final, fully coloured 3D paper city.

Verdict: I was dying to have a go – but was getting rather suspicious looks as I approached the children’s drawing table…..perhaps next year I’ll bring my nephew.

Hulatecture

The big idea: IDEA students (Interior Design Environment Architectures) from Ravensbourne College to find inspiration from the Great Court Roof and indigenous artefacts from the museum to create the 'recipe' for the construction of a giant structure out of 900 hoolahoops  & plastic strips which the public will participate in making.

See the photo of the red hula 'nest'

Verdict: Why not?  Love the ‘Hulatecture’ – couldn’t help but think what happened to the 900 hula-hoops after the deconstruction at 16.00?

By Keith Fowler

“BEST IN SHOW 2008”

Household has launched a creative talent award, ‘Best in Show’ in conjunction with Ravensbourne’s New Designers  

“Household has a passion for encouraging & supporting new talent. Ravensbourne is amongst the most dynamic exciting colleges in the UK for design, with a history of developing some of the most sought after graduates ready for the creative industries.  

Household's 'Best In Show' award acknowledges this & further continues our established ties with Ravensbourne in both promoting and recruiting exciting new talent.” Julie Oxberry, Managing Director, Household

Award selection

Household is passionate about creating places that get people into action believing this is the route to customer engagement, loyalty and ultimately return on investment for clients. Our selection criteria reflect this philosophy.  We are looking for designs to be executed with strong creative thinking and presentation skills that clearly communicate the 'Big Idea'.  We have specific interest in branded environments and customer journeys from micro to macro.

Our first award this year for ‘Best in Show’ was awarded to Anthony Pelly for his project ‘Hub for the South Downs National Park’ – the project stood out amongst a very strong exhibition of work, with its ability to visually capture timely topics such as the countryside in Britain, rising obesity, regeneration and sustainability.

“Anthony’s work captured our imagination and brought to life the idea of a different kind of experience in the countryside, making it accessible and exciting to all kinds of people.  Rationale and conceptual execution were equally matched for a project with impact and scale whilst capturing emotive and endearing quirks.  It’s the kind of project we’d like in the Household studio”

Keith Fowler, Creative Director, Household

The award consists of a cash prize split between the graduate and Ravensbourne.

This interview was conducted with Tracy Buchan, Store Cluster Manager of Aesop UK. It's purpose: To get behind the scenes of a trailblazing brand and understand how it has achieved such success within the premium beauty sector.

The interview reveals a strong core brand identity which directs all of Aesop's actions, from how they design their stores to how they approach new product development. This is key to their success.

1. How would you sum up the Aesop brand?

Aesop began in 1987 when we developed a range of botanically based hair products that quickly found a loyal clientele. We’ve expanded since then to offer skin and body care, but our principles have remained constant. We do not subscribe to mainstream cosmetic practices nor do we claim our products offer eternal youth. We create products that are authentic, sincere and as timeless as possible. Much as inspired chefs are driven by produce, we are captivated by the compositions that can be developed with quality ingredients and innovation. We're driven by ingredients first and foremost, marrying beneficial botanicals with solid science.

2. Who do you target?

We tend to attract similar clientele across the globe: intelligent, savvy, well-travelled, well-read, discerning women and men.

3. How important do you think the design of your stores is in expressing your brand’s personality? Where does the Aesop website sit with this?

Our stores are, first and foremost, places designed to house a range of products of which we are extremely proud. While the range is constant from location to location, we treat the design of each store without reference to the others. Instead, we reference the things we, as a brand, care about: thoughtful, neighbourhood-specific fit-outs; quality materials and lighting; and a welcoming ambience. We are concerned with doing everything as mindfully and as well as possible. Our concern with detail and quality applies to what is in our containers and the shelves they sit upon. Our website is our online presence, and part of our interest in establishing ourselves as an international brand.

4. What is the design philosophy behind the Aesop stores? How do they help your brand live and breathe?

Our philosophy is to collaborate with architects and designers who excel in their field. We are passionately interested in design and believe there is no reason a retail environment should not be as distinct and exciting as any other part of the build landscape. The fact that we express this in the design of our stores has brought all manner of interesting people into our realm.

5. Your stores are all unique. What is the reason behind this?

Each Aesop store design is distinct. We read the streetscape historically, consider what it’s modern context is, then seek to complement each setting.

6. What size footprint do you trade from usually? Would you expand?

All of our stores are different. Our London store is 19 square metres, which is perfect for this city. We feel that we work well within a smaller space rather than a large cavernous one.

7. What are your ranges? Do you see yourself expanding beyond your core product?

Our product range started with hair then body products and we now sell a wide range of skincare. Expansion of our products is not our main focus. We prefer, instead, to explore the possibilities of some ingredients that we have found to be particularly effective.   

8. Where can your brand go from here? 

Wherever our collective inclination and imagination takes us. 

Coolhunter has featured our branding for Virgin Media's call centres in their most recent online issue.

To check out the article and to read about other inspirational office spaces Coolhunter has picked out from across the globe, click here: http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/offices/