design:retail - October 2017 - 18

designer picks

018

HISTORY BUFFS

R

ETAILERS LOOKING TO open a store in an historic
building have the opportunity to create a unique space
that gracefully complements the past alongside modern
shopping necessities of the future. These five historic renovation
trends will ensure your next build-out preserves a building's
historic character and charm, while serving your branding
needs, customer expectations and modern essentials.

TODD SACHSE
FOUNDER & CEO
SACHSE CONSTRUCTION

tsachse@sachse.net
@sachseconstruct
[1]

1. Leverage Original Design

Original design elements, such as the terrazzo floor seen here in the
Washington, D.C., Shinola store located on 14th Street in Logan's Circle, are
one of many ways to preserve a building's historic origins. The plasterwork
on the ceiling also was restored to pay homage to the building's original
architecture using molds to duplicate the unique shape and design.
Photo courtesy of SHINOLA

2. Use Novel Materials

It's important to find the best ways to maintain a building's historic
elements while fitting a brand's exclusive needs. The Under Armour
Brand House in Detroit creatively reused marble from the building's
original foundation, which made for a key design element (as seen
here). A staircase with brass handrails, a mezzanine and old plaster
also were elements the retailer decided to rehabilitate.
Photo courtesy of BEDROCK DETROIT

3. Unique Character

[2]

and Local Charm

The Detroit Foundation Hotel marked the transformation of an historic
firehouse into a new boutique hotel with a ground-floor restaurant. The
hotel was really the combination of two buildings in one project-one
constructed in 1887 and the other in 1929. All the floors and walls with
deterioration were replaced to preserve charming original elements,
including the building's facade, vintage desk sits and wall tile, to deliver
a unique hospitality experience for visitors to Detroit.
Photo by JASON KEEN

4. Maintain and Replicate

[3]

The objective of the retail space within The Albert, a luxury mixed-use
residential community in downtown Detroit, was to maintain Albert
Kahn's original style with modern design and functionality. The retail
store façades were rebuilt to include the canopy and glass windows
that replicated the building's original 1929 design. The exterior façade
required locating matching tiles from the 1920s to replace tiles not
characteristic of the building's original architecture.
Photo courtesy of JOHN D'ANGELO

5. Blend Old with New

[4]

The John Varvatos store located in downtown Detroit on Woodward
Avenue features a distinctive mezzanine layout offering a theater-like
view of the main floor area. A Detroit native, Varvatos commissioned
building a stage for after-hours music performances. with advanced
electrical and wiring equipment for performers.
Photo courtesy of SACHSE CONSTRUCTION

AS FOUNDER OF SACHSE CONSTRUCTION, TODD SACHSE HAS DEVELOPED A
LOYAL CLIENTELE OF HIGH-END CUSTOMERS WHO REQUIRE DETAILED EXPERTISE
IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. HE IS A LICENSED BUILDER IN MULTIPLE STATES,
AND UNDERTAKES PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE THE RENOVATION OF VINTAGE
BUILDINGS, SHOPPING CENTERS, HOTELS AND GENERAL OFFICE BUILD-OUTS.

[5]
OCTOBER 2017

DESIGNRETAILONLINE.COM

GLOBALSHOP.ORG
http://www.DESIGNRETAILONLINE.COM http://www.GLOBALSHOP.ORG
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of design:retail - October 2017
