Down Under Revisited

Five years after we originally helped ASICS Oceania with their first retail flagship in the high profile Queen Victoria Building in Sydney, we were recently invited to review and update the design of the store.

Working with new ASICS global retail design guidelines, we supported the local Direct to Consumer (DTC) team to develop the concept vision, create a set of design intent drawings for selective tender and help them manage the fit-out. The whole store is a three-dimensional embodiment of the ASICS brand mantra: ‘Anima sana in corpore sano’, meaning ‘a sound mind in a sound body’.

Managing the protected heritage infrastructure of such a grand building had its challenges, but we worked to reveal as much of architectural elements as we could. The original internal circular columns were stripped back, as were the beams. The whole store has benefited from the opening up of more of the original window apertures, allowing better visibility. To compensate for the resulting reduction in perimeter fixtures, we created a series of bespoke floor fixtures to display products whilst retaining transparency.

For the interior fit-out, two Foot IDs (ASICS’ running analytics system) were placed in the middle of the store, close to the changing rooms. This created a central service area where customers can gain expert advice and can trial and experience the product before they buy.

Licensed sport product is vitally important in this area of the world and given ASICS sponsorship links with both the Wallabies and the Baggy Greens, we created a specific retail zone inclusive of AstroTurf and fold-down stadia type seating.

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For more projects about Interior design, please check out our Interior design page.