ArchShowcase 
Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Puma Stores Amsterdam, London and Munich By Plajer & Franz StudioJune 2nd, 2012 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Plajer & Franz Studio Plajer & Franz Studio, under the direction of ales kernjak (head of global store concepts, puma retail ag) gave the puma stores a thorough re-designing makeover, filling their spaces with an injected dose of joy, innovation, simplicity and various local influences, all being accomplished according to puma’s sustainable guidelines.  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter
 Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter still being puma’s core competence, footwear has been given the most prominent position within the store. the puma store in Amsterdam features a footwear tribune on each floor and a special footwear showcase. moreover, it presents itself proudly on the mirror wall , one of the local elements in the store, where vintage car mirrors serve as the display platform. the installation has been created by ‘the invisible party’, a local artist’s collective, who used the dutch tradition to place car mirrors on the doors and windows of houses to allow seeing who rings the door bell before answering it. further enhancing the local relevance of the store is a lighting system on the second floor made out of old bike frames welded together as well as a bike wheel installation in the staircase void. the changing rooms are covered in traditional delft tiles, which have been ‘pumarized’ accordingly. the most eye-catching local element however , is the huge brand wall stretching over all three floors and constructed from a collection of old amsterdam-doors that have been painted red and recharged with a huge puma logo.  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter the london puma store presents its footwear on a footwear catwalk leading from the store entrance to the focus wall as well as on two footwear tribunes. the store atmosphere is further enhanced by overhead screens featuring hypnotic, slow moving visuals of scenarios from fluffy clouds to underwater scenes. the factor ‘ fun’ is further reflected in various regional elements, which give the store it’s local relevance. this begins with the facade covered in 3d images of the traditional london red cell booth and continues inside the store, where the ‘pumarized’ cel l booth reappears serving as display system and dumbwaiter. adding another london classic – the worldwide known metro sign – makes an appearance in the changing rooms. Here white metro tiles have been used turning the changing rooms into a ’puma’ metro station. at the same time, the store design puts great emphasis on making it simple and clear focus points such as oversize logo signs or the striking red brand wall together with wooden ceiling beams serve as directory and navigate shoppers through the store.  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter in the munich store several display tribunes on both floors and a separate footwear area on the ground floor mark its leading part. the second floor is designated for men’s and women’s sport and lifestyle apparel and footwear as well as a motorsport column. all in all, the puma store in munich displays a great mix of innovative solutions, joyful elements, simplicity, and a local relevance, unified in a sustainable design concept. the two floor s of the store are joined by a huge brandwall made out of moveable cubesin puma’s ci-color, which not only sets a distinctive focus point but above all adds to the dynamic, vitality and fun of the shop. overhead screens on the first floor featuring hypnotic, slow moving visuals of scenarios from clouds to underwater scenes add to the shop’s atmosphere. local elements further highl ight this idea, while at the same time giving the store its local relevance. appearing somehow ‘out of place’ within a minimalistic and innovative store concept, the changing room area is a homage to the typical alpine hut. it is manufactured from bavarian reclaimed wood that has been finish-worked giving it even more patina and recharged with ‘pumarized’ details such as red doors and window frames, puma’s ‘dylan’ cat sculpture holding a deer antler or cut-out puma cats replacing the usually engraved heart-shaped door hole. inside the changing rooms shoppers are greeted by a life-size sculpture of cat ‘dylan’ and a red floor mat saying ‘servus ’ – the bavarian word for ‘ hello ’.  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter numerous joyful elements and cutting-edge technology are scattered around the shopping spaces of each puma store, including life-size puma cat sculptures greeting visitors at the entrances, ‘puma unsmart phones’ ringing when approached, puma’s ‘peep-show’ displaying image movies when opened, or puma’s moveable joy-pad wall – an assemblage of 32 synchronized digital touch screens featuring simple games for the customers to play and compete with friends. iPads placed in the store allow shoppers to purchase products from the european online store, which offers a wider merchandise assortment, complete size runs and alternative colors of items stocked in the store.  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter ‘the new puma store in amsterdam elevates puma’s effort in bringing back the joy of sport and lifestyle into retail environments’ says ales kernjak. ‘the new space surprises with unexpected features, reflecting our passion in interacting with our consumers, and creating a memorable and engaging retail experience with local flavor.’  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter in line with the philosophy of puma’s retail 2.0 concept, the stores have been constructed in accordance with the company’ s sustainable guidelines: the general use of building material has been reduced to the minimum, leaving the ceiling open and the brick walls untreated. any materials used such as wood for the ceiling beams, furniture or floor finishes are certified guaranteeing that forest products used are from responsibly harvested and verified sources, and low-emission paints and adhesives are being used. above that, an efficient lighting system, using mainly HIT lights, has been applied to save the energy consumption of the store and thus further reducing its ecological footprint.  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter plajer & franz studio plajer & franz studio is an international and interdisciplinary team of 45 architects, interior architects and graphic designers based in berlin. all project stages – from concept to design as well as roll-out supervision – are carried out in-house. special project-based teams work on over all interior and building construction projects and on communication and graphic design. the company’s client list includes galeries lafayette, s.oliver, bmw, mini, puma, timberland, pierre cardin, kunert, hudson, burlington and salewa. plajer & franz studio has also established itself in the premium sector of luxury residential projects and hotels in both europe and asia; these include a recently completed hotel in porto, a five star resort in croatia and 50,000 sqm premium apartments on the portuguese coast, both in development. several other major projects, for example luxurious villas in thailand and kazakhstan are also currently in the design phase.  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter from private yacht to automobile trade stand via award-winning bars and luxury apartments – the key to plajer & franz studio’s freshness of vision lies in their continuous exploration and cross-fertilisation between disciplines and areas of experience. our ability to deliver show-stoppingly innovative design with elegant and meticulous finishing down to the smallest details in being able to take what we learn in one area and applying it, where appropriate, in another: high tech materia l forming from the car industry, for example, may yield exciting new surfaces for a shop-in-shop project whereas new developments in the use of digital display techniques from the bar and club scene might fit perfectly with a new automobile display concept – it’s all in the mix!  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter activities:  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter history: in over a decade of creative and imaginative partnership, plajer & franz studio has built up an impressively broad-ranging portfolio with an international client base. the development of brand architecture and corporate identity in retail as well as the design of premium hotels and resorts form the core of their expertise. today plajer & franz studio has an international reputation for innovative excellence, quality down to the smallest detail, great planning skills and a superb sense of style. their projects are regularly featured in publications worldwide.  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter  Image Courtesy manuel schlu¨ter
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