Click on the photos above, or read the details below, to learn more about this Middle Eastern sports retailer.
1 TRYOUTS
So customers feel confident with purchases, they can try before they buy in one of the store’s trial zones. “[They can] try on a pair of boots and test them in an interactive game that measures the accuracy of their kicking and … share photographs taken in the zone with friends through social media,” in addition to an in-store leaderboard, explains Mike Roberts, chief creative officer of design firm Green Room (Birmingham, England).
2 SKY HIGH
Working with an expansive ceiling, its height was reduced in various areas, creating “lower-level light rafts” above key sections of the store, like the trial and experience zones. The contrast created by the illumination against the black-painted ceiling also accentuates category headers above the various merchandised regions.
3 HARDLY THERE
To keep consistency throughout the myriad brands, fixtures and displays are minimalistic. “We have Nike alongside adidas, alongside Vans,” says Roberts. “We designed a flexible system that would promote the brand, but also support any campaign activations [they] wanted to bring to life on the fixturing.”
4 PLOT TWIST
Though the store possesses strong sightlines, designers intended for furniture, displays and flooring to punctuate the space, providing shoppers a sense of adventure. Some of the showcased sports are uncommon in the region, so it was imperative for customers to explore and open their eyes to “new possibilities and new sports,” says Roberts.
5 BRANDED BEAUT
It was crucial to find a polite balance between promoting the retailer and the brands it houses, Roberts explains. “We were careful to choose moments where we talked about Sun & Sand Sports, and created opportunities for brands to present themselves at appropriate points.”
PROJECT SUPPLIERS
Retailer
Sun & Sand Sports, Dubai, U.A.E.
Design
Green Room, Birmingham, England
Photography: Armil Veloso, Dubai, U.A.E.