Display & Design Ideas - February 2009 - (Page 16)

16 Precise cuts culminate to form the Zu + Elements cross-shaped logo at the back of the flagship store. Fashion worship A language of cuts, lines and other cross-inspired elements creates the first-ever Zu + Elements flagship store By Sree Roy, Contributor A n available space on Via Verri in the heart of Milan, Italy, was the perfect location for the first-ever Zu + Elements store. Snagging a storefront in such an exclusive district would help propel the Milan-based fashion and apparel brand onto the international scene. Parent company Phard Italy quickly signed for the space and hired Los Angeles-based Giorgio Borruso Design to create the dramatic flagship store of their dreams. Giorgio Borruso, principal of the self-named firm, had to overcome two limitations that this store location placed on the design: 1) a 2-ft. difference between the street level and the store’s floor level (coupled with an already low ceiling that prohibited raising the level of the floor), and 2) a mere 1,076 sq. ft. of interior space with which to work. A staircase was clearly needed, and Borruso made the most of this element. He created a striking entryway of mirrored stainless steel that surrounds shoppers as they descend into the store. The steel is segmented into cuts that resemble the folds of an accordion. He created a similar-shaped steel element around a storefront window. “Those two elements at the entrance became a very strong attraction from the street,” Borruso says. To make the small space appear larger and deeper, Borruso played with perspective. “I wanted to make being inside the space an exciting experience,” he says. Using lines to create depth worked out perfectly, because the company’s logo—a cross shape—already consisted of two intersecting lines. “When I saw the logo, my first thought was, ‘they chose one of the strongest symbols in the entire history of humanity,’” Borruso recalls. “We had two choices: to drop in the cross as signage without attracting too much attention; or to take responsibility by making it the starting point for the language of the architecture.” The team chose the latter option, and the resulting space is vibrant with a precise language of cuts, segmented lines and moving planes throughout the floor, walls and ceiling. “When you work with this kind of geometry, where there are lines that need to converge at precise points, and the lines are obtained by the juxtaposition of different materials or changes of surface, accuracy is the most important element,” Borruso explains. “Any miscalculation, and the result is evident to the eyes.” The design’s precision allowed for the lines to converge in February 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Display & Design Ideas - February 2009

Display & Design Ideas - February 2009
From the Editor
Contents
News Watch
Book Report
Editor's Choice
Cover Story: Channel Focus: Toy Retail
Zu + Elements
Zonik
Weathering the Storm: Part 1
Right Light
Product Spotlight
GlobalShop Preview
GlobalShop Products
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Think Tank

Display & Design Ideas - February 2009