Stores for contemplative living

The year 2021 was all about self-care, a concept that will be with us in the coming years. Brands from all over the world have launched health solutions, and stores are seeking out ways to bring consumers back to their spaces.

Many digital conversations between friends and work colleagues are focused on mental health and how to manage it, and we are learning more and more about stress and anxiety. Issues such as fatigue (including chronic fatigue) will become ever more important in the coming years. In a recent study, the UK government found that 1 in 8 citizens feel permanently tired.

At the same time, the pandemic has had a profound impact on the design of spaces, and it is in stores and offices where these paradigms will emerge. All kinds of models are being explored in the search for models that offer consumers new incentives to visit stores: from the more fluid development of the omnichannel experience, to turning stores into spaces for events or content production, or providing more space for click-and-collect models.

The store as a therapeutic space

Retail companies are making every effort to bring consumers back to physical spaces, and those that are able to align with the new priorities of consumers are experiencing success. The key to this is offering solutions in line with how consumers feel when they return to busy spaces following the pandemic. They include wider stores and aisles, fitting rooms that create a sense of space, and touchless stores.

Concept store Templ in Jakarta.

Toning things down, interior designer and architect Zhang Ying has reimagined the family cafeteria/playground area at Animal Adventure Island. The aim is to create an environment that is beneficial for mental and emotional health.

Animal Adventure Island in Sichuan.

In the popup store designed by Snøhetta for reMarkable, the studio recreates a space that resembles a library with reading areas. Under the name 'A better place to think', the Norwegian studio reflects on how "in today's fast-paced and digitized society, finding places to concentrate can be a challenge".

A Better Place to Think de reMarkable en Oslo.

A slice of nature hidden in the center of the city

In the luxury sector, the focus is on spaces where interior design plays an essential role, transforming stores into places where consumers can shop in a relaxing and meditative environment. We are seeing the emergence of uncluttered and calming interiors, where the tactility of high-value materials and the presence of plants helps connect the user to the space.

Browns clothing and accessories store in central London, designed by Dimore Studio, features a restaurant located in a hidden garden where guests can escape the noise of the city. The landscaping was carried out by the renowned company Rosenbank Landscaping. Their stores also house installations such as the latest sensory and sound experience created by the therapeutic sound studio Swell, where store visitors can enjoy a 15-minute woodland experience.

Browns secret garden in Londres

Absolute Flower in Shanghai, designed by More Design Office, feels more like an art gallery than a retail space. The products are showcased as exhibition pieces and, in some cases, authentic installations that transform the store into an art gallery.

Absolute Flower in Shanghai.