Tag Store

The Japanese architectural studio VUILD recently finished Shodoshima the Gate Lounge, which is intended to be a unique and innovative wooden retail store located on the Shodoshima Island in western Japan. The retail store is designed with the objective to challenge the conventional and typical designer-client relationship, and to create a retail experience that is unlike any other.

Designer: VUILD

The client for the project is involved in olive cultivation and their requirement was for a physical space that supports direct sales and allows them to interact and engage with customers. One of the major challenges faced by the architectural studio was that they needed to create a wooden structure on an island that didn’t have the appropriate drying and processing facilities. They also had to propose the conversion of a plastic greenhouse into a drying machine and needed to use a small CNC processing machine. These steps took some effort to meet fruition. The client was also involved in material procurement and construction, which minimized the carbon footprint within a 5.5 km radius.

The architectural team at VUILD and the contractor partnered up to advise the client on which stones and wood to source for the foundation and also provided guidance in the intricate and meticulous process of peeling, milling, and painting the wood. The entire structure is quite carefully placed around a 1000-year-old olive tree and is covered in a bent zinc panel cladding, with three varied layers of slits for lighting and ventilation. A sustainability engineer also created a three-way spreading form which was inspired by simulations. This form was created to encourage airflow. Precisely and intricately CNC-cut elements were utilized for the accurate assembly of the building and the walls, hence making room for environmental consciousness while using digital fabrication technology.

The interiors of the retail store are quite open and spacious. They are defined by large arch windows which provide access to stunning views of the ocean. The frame artfully exposes the structural beams which have been constructed from local wood, creating an interior that is raw yet sophisticated, with a character and persona of its own.

The ultimate organizer for your Apple Watch straps, Twelve South’s TimePorter holds and showcases all your watch straps on an easy-to-access linear shelf. The TimePorter turns your Watch Strap collection into a displayable art-piece, letting you flex your straps like people would their sneaker collection. The straps attach onto the TimePorter in seconds, and can easily be pocked and worn every day like you would your favorite tie, or an outfit-appropriate set of jewelry.

Designer: Twelve South

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Any seasoned Watch owner will tell you that every time you upgrade to a new Watch, you automatically get a new Strap to go with it too. Complete 3 upgrade cycles and you’ve got at least 3 straps that are compatible with even the latest Apple Watch series. It’s normal to resell or return your older Watch, but almost everybody hangs onto their straps to be worn over and over again. Hence the TimePorter, a nifty solution to your multiple-strap-conundrum. Hang them, flaunt them, and wear any strap you want, any time you want!

Measuring 10 inches (255mm) across, the TimePorter is a classy IKEA-esque metal organizer that conveniently lets you store Apple Watch straps when not in use. Designed for Watch aficionados who can sometimes own upwards of 4-5 straps for one single watch, the TimePorter is a nifty way to keep spare straps on display and pick and choose the ones you want to wear on any given day.

The continuous design of the TimePorter lends itself to modularity. You can extend your ‘shelf’ simply by adding another one beside it or below it, giving you an extensive organizer that can be used for your as well as your partner’s straps. 3M adhesive backing lets you stick the TimePorter anywhere, from a wall to a wardrobe door, to even a tiled surface in your bathroom. The hanging nature of the straps makes it rather easy to hang-dry your straps after washing them if you end up wearing the Apple Watch to the gym, while playing sports, or while training.

The adhesive 3M backing is also removable, allowing you to un-dock your TimePorter and place it somewhere else with a fresh set of 3M Command glue strips. The TimePorter’s minimal design works well at letting your straps get the spotlight. You can install the TimePorter in a place that’s easy to view, allowing people to admire your Watch strap collection, or hide it in a wardrobe or on the inside of a cabinet door, just in case you’re a little protective about your abundant collection!

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Nowadays almost everything is being 3D printed, so why should architecture be an exception? Many architectural firms have adopted 3D printing as their preferred technique for building structures. And 3D-printed architecture has truly gained a lot of popularity and momentum. It has paved a path for itself in modern architecture. And I mean, no wonder, it has a ton of benefits! It’s a simple, efficient, and innovative technique that lowers the risks of errors, and also manages to save time. 3D printing eradicates a lot of tedious steps during the construction process and simplifies it. And Nescafé has also jumped onto the 3D printing bandwagon with its first 3D-printed pop-up store!

Designer: Estudio Guto Requena

Brazilian architecture studio Estudio Guto Requena designed an innovative 3D-printed pop-up store for Nescafé. Called the Dolce Gusto Neo store, and located in São Paulo, the store was built using algorithmic 3D printing. The sustainable store was built using a combination of biodegradable materials and recycled plastic, which are an excellent alternative to traditional construction materials such as steel and concrete, both of which lead to carbon emissions and resource depletion. The concept and structure of the store were inspired by the five petals of the coffee flower. The store is groundbreaking, since it is a commendable effort towards regenerative architecture, and offers a conscious and innovative method to create prefabricated retail stores.

“The design for the Dolce Gusto Neo Flagship unites innovation, sustainability, and architecture,” said Estudio Guto Requena. “The building architecture invites us to reflect on potential futures that we could design, especially given the climate emergency we are facing.”

The Dolce Gusto Neo is built using a mix of glued laminated timber (GLT), from reforested pine trees, which serves as an eco-friendly source. It has a dome-shaped design supported by fixed axes, which accommodate five glassed archways that provide lovely views of the surrounding green space. A timber decking covers the store as well. The innovative and unique pop-up store is the first of its kind in Latin America and is truly paving the way for 3D-printed structures built using biodegradable materials.