The Showroom Studio 2014SM

The Flagship Studio

Contemporary branding is not about recognizability of corporate logos, but is about profound perception of brand identity through different mediums.  A lot of companies are building flagship stores in major cities to enhance physical interaction between space, products, and customers.  Flagship stores are used to elevate brand identities, rather than balancing costs, thus design of the store can be expressive and experimental.

The Flagship Studio will design a flagship store for innovative brands.  Based on extensive brand research, the studio will capture core values of the brand, and turn them into new type of spatial experience.   Comprehensive diagramming techniques are used to explore conceptual ideas throughout research and development phase.  The research will be turned into conceptual ideas as 3 dimensional sculpture through multiple iterative process.  Advanced digital fabrication techniques are employed to produce iconic pieces that represent abstract presence of the brand identity.

W01 – 5/13 – Introduction

• Presentation of several stores
• Theory – Read Harvard Guide to shopping
• Brand introduction

W1.5 – 5/18- Field Trip

• OMA Prada Rodeo Drive
• Philip Lim
• Agnes B
• Kitson

W02 – 5/20 – Diagramming /

• Diagramming
• Concept diagrams
• Site analysis and observation

W03 – 5/27 Physical Modeling

• Study modeling
• Clay
• Blue foam
• Cardboard stacking
• Envelope model

W04 – 6/3 Digital Process 2.5

• Fleshing out your knowledge of complex modeling of organic form with Rhino and T-Splines

W05 – 6/10 – Store Design Direction

W06 – 6/17 – No Class

W07 – 6/24 – Sub

W08 – 7/1 – Midterm

W09 – 7/7 – High Tech Stuff

• 5-Axis CNC

W10 – 7/15 – Overall Strategy Due

W11 – 7/22 – Overall Design Due

W12 – 7/29 – Furniture, fixture, and details

W13 – 8/5 – Desk crits

W14 – 8/12 – Final Review