Sustainable Design to Take Your Breath Away

At the Retail Design Diva, we receive a lot of press releases. In fact, I could probably wade knee deep through the number of releases that come my way on any given month.

This particular week, I had an experience unlike any other when a release from bluarch architecture + interiors + lighting design took my breath away—or the photo accompanying the release to be more precise.

I have to confess—this never happens (even when the Drybar release came my way I didn't have this kind of reaction!). And it almost never happens that I practically spill my vanilla rooibos and steamed rice milk latte across my computer upon viewing said photo.

My mouth hung open in shock when I laid my eyes on this residential hybrid tower in Miami.

Once I recovered from the beauty of the design and cleaned up the mess on my computer, I uncovered even more shockingly fantastic information about this new design:

• The tower's architecture integrates a new technology referred to as an “artificial tree.”
• An artificial tree, according to bluarch architecture + interiors + lighting, is a series of resin columns that are exposed to the wind.
• As the wind blows through the columns, carbon is “trapped in a chamber between the double slab at each level of the tower; the carbon is subsequently compressed and stored as liquid carbon dioxide in the cellar levels. The gap between the two slabs between the two floors also allows for cross ventilation that cools the floor slab of one unit and the ceiling slab of the one below," according to the bluarch press release.
• And get this: when all of this cross-ventilation occurs, the tower opens up in the middle to increase the air speed as the wind cruises through the column gaps.
• Two wings of the building connect at the lobby and at the top as part of this unique design.
• Each unit is energy self-sufficient since the building is covered with TFSC, a thin-film solar cell by Nanosolar.

While I can’t even possibly begin to fully understand the intricacies of this sustainable architectural design, I had to share it with all of you. The building is not only breathtaking, it's utilizing sustainable technology that could literally transform our world.

Could artificial tree design be coming to a building near you? Or are there other sustainable designs causing you to spill your latte all over your computer? Leave your comments here.

-Heather Strang

Green Buildings Rule the USA in 2011

If you’re anything like me (although I’m sure you’re even more fabulous!), you automatically launch into a diatribe of internalized self-judgment when you arrive at the grocery store without your earth-friendly cloth bags. This has happened to me the past two weeks, and I’m absolutely sure Trader Joe’s and New Seasons are plotting my demise.

The good news about this self-flogging is that it illustrates how living green is such a solid part of how we engage in our daily lives. The recent release of the “Top 10 States for LEED Green Buildings” reminded me that as a nation, we’ve come a long way in our allegiance to our Earth (now, that’s evolution!).

I was shocked not to see Oregon listed in the top 10 (I thought my home state would come through big since it’s so earth-friendly overall), and even more shocked to see what states are leading the way. Hold your applause until they’ve all been announced, it’s a mighty strong list. Oh, and FYI, this is based on the highest number of sq. ft., per capita (which is listed below each state, after the total square footage):

1. District of Columbia:18,954,022
   31.50
2. Colorado:13,803,113
   2.74
3. Illinois: 34,567,585
   2.69
4. Virginia:19,358,193
   2.42
5. Washington:14,667,558
   2.18
6. Maryland:11,970,869
   2.07
7. Massachusetts:13,087,625
   2.00
8. Texas:50,001,476
   1.99
9. California:71,551,296
   1.92
10. New York: 36,538,981
    1.89

Kudos to the above states! Now the rest of the country needs to catch up. And it looks as though they are: in December 2011, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that LEED-certified buildings were outpacing other newly built structures by 15 million sq. ft.

It’s no longer a green revolution; it’s the way we do things.

So, put your cloth bags in the back of your hybrid (or stuff them in your back-pack if your sans car) and let’s continue taking care of Mother Earth.

Are you surprised by the Top 10 States leading the way in green building? Leave your comments below.

-Heather Strang

Destiny USA Offers Sustainable Bliss

Ignorance used to be bliss. But, not anymore. As our knowledge about the state of our environment grows, we are forced to find ways to honor our environment and expand our human potential.

Destiny USA, a shopping center in Syracuse, N.Y., seems to understand this on a massive level. The 2.4 million sq. ft. “destination” (as its being called) is now the sixth-largest shopping center in the United States, and is in the running to be the nation’s largest LEED Gold-Certified commercial retail project. In addition, it expects to have more than 100 of its retail tenants also be LEED-certified.

The shopping center, which is home to restaurants, entertainment and retail outlets, is chock-full of sustainable features, including:

• Rainwater-harvesting system

• Low-flow toilets (this combined with the harvesting system will conserve more than four million gallons of water a year!)

• Daylight harvesting

• LED lighting

• Cool roof to reflect heat from the sun

• More than 90 percent of all building materials have been recycled, keeping 7,000 tons of material out of landfills. Example: all 23,000 tons of 95 percent recycled steel was used for the building structure.

• All construction vehicles are powered by bio-diesel fuel.

The project won’t be totally finished until spring 2012, but when it is, it will feature 264 businesses and anticipates attracting more than 20 million visitors annually. I don’t know about you, but I would be interested in visiting just to see all of the amazing sustainable options they’ve used.

Destiny USA is also in a very powerful position to influence their tenants. While they’re projecting that at least 100 tenants will be LEED-certified, I would like to challenge them to require that all of their tenants be certified. In 2011, ignorance is no longer bliss. Sustainability is imperative!

What are your thoughts on this hot topic? Tell us about it here.

-Heather Strang

Bottega Veneta Does Windows Right

Sometimes retailers blow us away with their window displays. Now, this doesn’t happen all of the time, but when it does, we’ve got to give them the appropriate props.

Our dear friend and blogger, Ronald Knoth (who passed away earlier this fall) shared with us Bottega Veneta’s recent old-fashioned painter display – and we’ve got to say: it’s quite eyecatching.

As you can see from the photos, the mannequins are decked out in old-fashioned painter caps and have paint splashing out of their buckets. We love the look of the mannequins (painter caps are hot btw!) and we absolutely dig the way the paint arches and splashes onto them.  

We can only guesstimate here, but we’re pretty sure Bottega Veneta is letting us know the paint is transforming the color of the apparel.  Ron also pointed out to us that the paint splashes branch out almost like hands and embracing – do you see that too? We really love it when a retailer can give us multiple messages in a display!

Adding action to a fashionable window display isn’t always the easiest thing in the world, so we tip our painter caps to Bottega Veneta for a job well done. As Ron said, “these windows are magic.”

Thank you Ron and thank you Bottega Veneta!

-Heather Strang

The Answer to Vacant Retail Space

Walking around downtown Portland the other day, I couldn’t help but notice some rather large and empty retail spaces off of SW 1^st Ave.  Not only is it unsightly, it also made me wonder how commercial property owners are paying their bills when they have several vacant spaces. Surely, there’s a solution that is a win for everyone involved.

Novato, Calif.-based The W Foundation (TWF) and The Walter Kieckhefer Company (WKC) came up with an excellent solution for unused retail space earlier this summer. The two came together and created a space education exhibit out of the WKC’s marquee retail spot in Marin County.

Pretty innovative, right?

It’s a great idea for empty retail locations nationwide. Temporary museum exhibits are a solid go-between while property managers work to woo retailers into empty spaces. Especially in high-traffic areas, exhibits can attract a variety of individuals and bring new life to an empty space.

Now, I’m starting to visualize what type of museum could go into that vacant space off of SW 1^st Avenue. Do they have a traveling Sex & the City exhibit? If so, it would be perfect! I wonder who I should talk to about it…

What are your ideas for vacant retail spaces? Would a museum work in your city? Leave us your thoughts here.

-Heather Strang

*Photo from Kieckhefer Properties.

A Retail Fake-Out

A Prado wallet is not the same as a Prada, but for $20 instead of $200 some of us are willing to ignore the slight fake. But, that’s just a wallet.

In China, they’re playing a much bigger game.

In Kunming, China, they have a fake Apple store. The entire store “looks” like Apple – the colors, the staff and the products, but Apple does not have a store in Kunming. Confused? Seems like a lot of people are, including the store’s employees.  

In a recent article on MSNBC.com, they found that the employees working at this fake Apple store actually thought they were working for the technology giant. Then, upon closer inspection, the fake began to show itself - the design and painting of the store is sloppily done and the sign “Apple Store” is not in alignment with the brand, which typically uses their logo, the apple, and not the name.

China is no doubt booming and demand for products like Apple’s is off the charts. But, going to the trouble of creating an entirely fake Apple store is over the top! However, after reading more about China’s reaction to Apple products in general, it’s pretty much on track with the Fatal Attraction-style love China seems to have for Apple.

Allegedly, when the iPhone was released earlier in 2011, there was a violent outburst at the Beijing store by customers literally dying to purchase the phone. The Beijing store also frequently has scalpers roaming the aisles trying to sell Apple products that have been purchased overseas. Chinese customs even had to impose a 20 percent import tax on any travelers who had Apple products with them.

It’s safe to say that China more than hearts Apple at this point.

So, Apple’s done a great job creating demand, now can they keep up with it and keep the fakes off the street? Are you surprised by this dramatic fake-out or is this to be expected? Know other retailers who get this kind of frenzied love from consumers? Tell us your thoughts here!

-Heather Strang

Luminous Lighting on Display

It’s no secret. Or at least we don’t think it is.

In today’s world, to “make it” in retail (or any industry), you’ve got to stay 1) creative and 2) innovative. Here at DDI, we’re always on the lookout for those two factors when it comes to retail design.

One that’s recently caught our eye(s) is from Focus Lighting in NYC. The team at Focus lighting has developed a display concept that uses a single projector along with mannequins to change color, add drama and bring in outside objects (a butterfly no less!).

What Focus Lighting has created is quite eye-catching, creative and innovative. So of course, we had to share it with you here. According to Focus, they hope to take this concept and move it into retail. Ideally, they would use this animated 3-D mannequin display, including a projected background, at a flagship retail location.

And we think that’s just a fantastic idea. In fact, we would love to see this kind of display at night. Wouldn’t it be absolutely luminous?

Check out the YouTube video that brilliantly showcases this innovative display concept.

What do you think? Would this work as a retail display? Leave us your thoughts here.

-Heather Strang

Save a Cork, Save the Earth

I’m a bit of a wine lover. When I say “a bit of” it’s only to downplay my love of wine. I’m one of those people who frowns at the screw cap (unless camping and sans wine opener), and relishes in the ritual of the cork. But here’s the thing, the cork isn’t just about wine, it’s also an important part of nourishing our world.

Confused?

Here’s the deal: Cork forests are one of the largest providers of oxygen to the earth, in addition to being one of the most sustainable and environmentally harvested forests in the world. Cork forests also have the world’s highest amount of forest biodiversity, including endangered species like the Iberian Lynx, the Iberian Imperial Eagle and the Barbary Deer. It’s sort of a big deal.

In honor of Earth Day and cork forests, our retail friends at Anthropologie have joined forces with the Cork Forest Conservation Alliance (CFCA) to raise awareness and preserve Mediterranean cork forests (which just so happens to be one of the Earth’s most valuable ecosystems). CFCA donated 2 million corks to 153 Anthropologie stores that were then turned into window displays.

Striped Shirt Cinema (from my town of Portland, Ore.) will be creating a documentary detailing the installation of the window displays. In addition, my friends (even if they don’t know it) at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates shipped more than 1.5 million corks to Anthropologie stores, while Willamette Valley Vineyards donated the time of its warehouse staff to sort and package 400,000 corks for this Earth Day promotion.

Whew! Did you get all of that? Wineries, forest conservationists, retailers and the film industry are all colliding on this one. All for the sake of our Earth. I can’t imagine a better reason.

So tonight, when I uncork my wine, I’m going to add it to my cork recycling jar that will promptly be taken to New Seasons Market for recycling purposes.

Thanks Anthropologie for bringing this wisdom to us and for reminding us that every bit counts!

How will you honor Earth Day, this Friday, April 22? Recycle your corks? What other incredible promotions are going on out there? Tell us about it here!

-Heather Strang

Re-Thinking the Center Store

Grocery retailers unite!! Store perimeters have gotten, well, just pretty dang awesome. Diva is all for expanded bakery sections (she's a sweet tooth) and adding banks and health services to the store perimeter (Eyeglass fittings at Walmart? Check.), but she's leaning on her design brethren to keep the center store a bit more, well, less monotonous.

While perimeter sales are booming, center-store sales have actually declined on a same-store basis. Let's face it. Center store is kinda boring. How are the canned veggies supposed to compete with beautifully illuminated, artfully displayed heads of broccoli and craftily merchandised bunches of carrots? Today's fickle shoppers get in, get out and get on with their lives (thank you Chili's for the appropriate tagline), and the poor center store is simply not growing at the rate of the ever-exciting perimeter. Whatever is a grocery retailer to do?

HELPFUL TIP ALERT!! Nielsen (who just so happens to be Diva's parent company....thanks Dad) has just unveiled a webinar that shares strategies and views on how best to leverage in-store innovation to generate more desirable shopper behavior – such as more frequent store visits, larger basket rings or greater customer loyalty. Pretty cool stuff. Take a listen and let Diva know what you think. What's in store for your center store?

--Diva

Photo: ©iStockphoto.com/Suprijono Suharjoto

GlobalShop 2011 Rocks Our World

If I didn’t know any better, I’d think this was the most innovative GlobalShop (GS) yet. Vendors pulled out all the stops to bring us the best looking, highest quality retail solutions possible.

Fleetwood Fixtures wowed us with its Best in Show booth, while CNL Mannequins caught my eye (hey, so what if I like my men ripped – and expressionless?). Holiday Image decked a mannequin out in a Christmas parka unlike any other, and NicoNat Mfg. showed us the fabulousness of venetian laser style. 

Per the usual GS experience, we also got to see just how hip retail design can be. Lifestyle/Trimco upped the ante with their uber cool mannequins (they had better hair than me!), while Newtech Display let customers direct the messaging on their chalkboard mannequin.

Who thinks of this stuff?!

Luckily, you do. And that’s why these highlights can’t be missed.

Already thinking about 2012? Yeah, so are we. So, mark your calendars – Feb. 29-March 2. See you then! In the meantime, what were your favorite highlights? Tell us about it here.

-Heather Strang

Image: The updated Sketch mannequin line from Lifestyle/Trimco.