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Nokia Retail Store
Project of the Year: Interior Design/Fitout
The global consumer product company Nokia wanted a retail
presence on Chicago's Michigan Avenue.
The 5,000-sq.-ft. space for selling cells phones sounds simple
at first, but the stakes are high when a single market share
point could mean hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
In addition, the Magnificent Mile location represented the refining
of a world-wide rollout of flagship stores that are an integral
component of Nokia's brand building strategy.
A team that was global in nature was put together, including
those located in Helsinki, London, Amsterdam, Singapore and
cities throughout the United States.
The team expanded the use of the space while reducing the cost
of the project by more than $1 million, and the store was completed
on time and within budget.
Local Project, Global Rollout
Part of a global rollout, the aim of the store was to immerse
customers in Nokia's brand.
The design incorporates a cross between a nightclub and high-end
designer store and uses a lot of colors, sounds and images
to create a customer experience.
The building housing the store, which dates to the 19th Century,
had previously housed a Timberland. Limited space in the basement,
existing staircases and redundant mechanical equipment meant
the conditions were challenging for Nokia's prototype design.
Light-emitting-diode panels line the walls with different
color scenes. Seamless visual displays work with audio surround
from the LCD screens, and high-end wood finishes are throughout
the store.
Text messages can be sent between the cell phones on display
and the LCD screens. Pop-ups on the screen allow information
about the phone just picked up.
Nokia's own designer brand, Vertu, basks in its own stylish
surroundings in painted glass.
Other obstacles included implementing a foreign, high-tech
design against the backdrop of local codes and regulations.
Jury Comments: "We like the colored walls. In retail,
it is all about image. It's a step above the rest. In a store
like that, you've got to step up the atmosphere but not be
a circus. They succeeded. It's the antithesis of a Wal-Mart
space. In addition, it's just a nasty spot for construction."
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