How Can Architects Optimise Retail Store Design?

Weaving brand characteristics into retail building design may depend on space or zoning code constraints, site conditions or other factors. Reliable design support from trusted architectural design services can architects provide high-quality retail design drawings and architectural drawing services to help complete retail design projects on time and within budget.

Architects pay special attention to interiors in retail building design to provide:

• Floor plans that maximise available space
• Attractive storefronts
• Customised art
• Aesthetically pleasing interiors suitable for different retail types
• Exclusive materials difficult to source or install

In the cutthroat retail industry, brand image is king, and visual merchandising takes centrestage. While creating retail store building design, architects must understand why customers would want to enter, browse and remain there before making a purchase. Architects must consider constructive and collaborative measures to achieve these objectives, such as:

Space

All outlets of the same brand should ideally be of the same size or have the same floor space, unless the outlet is in a prime location, when space can be compromised to a certain degree. Architects can work with other project stakeholders to:

• Set the store entrance back and design the storefront walls at an angle for an illusion of larger space
• Introduce non-standard elements to the storefront and window display

Materials

Trademark materials need to be part of the décor to communicate brand signatures. They can be sourced from a specific location, where the materials may be fragile or unevenly sized. While waiting for materials to arrive, architects can facilitate seamless workflow by:?

• Ensuring all plans are detailed, comprehensive, approved and ready to act on
• Researching local materials as substitutes in case of nonavailability or delay
• Designing layouts with alternate materials to create the same effect

Communication

With every major challenge to store design, architects must communicate clearly and regularly with updates by:?

• Identifying and suggesting viable alternative solutions for approval
• Designing around site challenges while retaining brand signatures
• Utilising the latest communication tools and techniques, such as CAD drawings, rendered images and walk-throughs to explain concepts

Technology

Architects can use advances in technology to identify potential challenges, find solutions and complete projects on time and within budget by:?

• Communicating through video chats on phones to explain concepts and show retailers how those concepts would look on site
• Using apps that can viewers to a virtual retail space
• Taking aerial images and videos with drones to demonstrate scale and placement
• Using virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR) technology

By incorporating minimalistic design, clean lines and high-quality materials, architects can highlight the details of brand characteristics.

Large retailers with global outlets bank on being recognisable using features and the most iconic elements of their brand in each store, such as:?

• Identical layouts
• Brand colour schemes
• Same kind of lighting and light fixtures
• Product displays that are identical
• Same genre of music
• Same fragrances

Architects try to reinforce brand characteristics in all retail outlets, both inside and out. As well as interior decor, architects try to ensure consistent signage, fa?ade and window displays.

Designing retail outlets on a large scale may come with its own challenges of time and expertise. Architects may find reliable, accurate, trusted and consistent design support with an offshore design partner who can quickly understand brand elements and design constraints to provide retail design drawings and architectural drawing services. Experienced partners with certified professionals and a Western work ethic can deliver high-quality architectural design services on time and within budget, easing the pressure on architects navigating diverse retail design challenges. ?