We love a Good Thing here at Galileo and the Veja store in Madrid conjured up by the super talented design studio Plantea is a Good Thing!
Rustic. Raw. Inviting.
On average, the shopping experience in most commercial stores feels the same. Finished walls, mirrors, sometimes great sometimes not so great overhead lighting in the dressing room, random "waiting" chairs awkwardly situated in the space, and a maze to find check-out. The whole experience comes across as either transactional, distracting or intimidating. Neither of the three I can say is ideal for the guest experience.
What Plantea has so wisely done here is to use the space as a seemingly void background (but in reality the space is anything but void) that allows the shopper and their shopping experience to take center stage. Choosing not to disturb the exposed bricks and the plastered walls creates a space that feels warmly organic. The space is simply serving as an extension of why the guest is there: to buy something new.
The space feels calming and not in the least bit overwhelming. It captures the vulnerability that is inherent in every shopping experience. Perhaps someone has wandered in to purchase an item for a first date or that big job interview. Looking to be supported on that journey, nothing more nothing less. And the design here allows that experience to take place without any hassle and without any trace of effort.
From a LOVER of design's point of view -- the Veja store is absolutely Divine! I felt like I was transported into a Roman citadel. The rich textured walls, the years of patina, the gorgeous light flooding in through floor to ceiling windows. Gasp! What Good design does is it speaks. It has no need to yell. It serves by simply giving an individual an opportunity to experience something new.
And Plantea hit this ball right out of the ballpark.
