step inside the symbol digital showroom by balbek bureau
Ukrainian practice balbek bureau reveals its latest retail project, an interactive showroom in Kyiv. The team was approached by Symbol, the largest Ukrainian distributor of luxury segment brands, requesting a boutique interior with a fresh new concept powered by digital features. Located on Horodetskoho Street, the showroom is housed within a 19th-century building that once succumbed to damages from WWII. Today, restored to its former glory, the structure offers a touch of tradition to Symbol’s futuristic space.
all images © Andrey Bezuglov, Maryan Beresh
focusing on tactile and sensorial experiences
Concept-wise, ‘We focused on tactile and sensorial sensations and sought to create the effect of novelty,’ says the balbek bureau team. ‘The inspiration was the actual items presented across Symbol stores – objects of timeless aesthetic, like a classic cashmere coat, the quality of which is preserved for years. This is not a space created according to current trends; our task was to make the interior relevant and timeless at the same time.’
The interior of the Symbol digital showroom is a single elongated space connected by arched passages. At its core are wavy walls boasting a metallic effect that recalls waves of fabric swaying in the wind. Upon entering, Symbol shoppers are greeted by the reception area located to the right of the entrance. Opposite the counter, a sofa serves as a waiting area for guests, since the showroom also functions as a delivery point for online orders.
Unlike most retail stores, the Symbol showroom does not feature rails and shelves. Instead, from the reception area, customers can enter the interactive fitting rooms and assemble a full look on the brand’s website through a sofa space fitted with opposite screens. Once the outfit is selected, the showroom staff compiles the items, getting them ready for fitting.
Tables are placed close to the sofas, the tops of which have built-in Apple Magic Trackpads. The niches under them were milled to create a seamless, built-in touch panel effect that allows users to flip through clothes on the screens by swiping their fingers across the tabletop. On the right, traditional showcases are replaced by miniature stands with tablets lit by floor lamps. With them, customers can try on clothes and accessories via Symbol’s interactive mask filters on Snapchat.
Inside the second hall, three classic fitting rooms await the guests, designed to be spacious enough to accommodate several poufs and allow guests to twirl in front of the mirror. On the large sofa opposite, one can try on shoes or wait for a friend. The mirrored doors of the fitting rooms and the light box placed in this area create a chamberesque atmosphere with uniform lighting, tempting guests to take a couple of selfies.
In the far corner of the showroom is a technical area with rooms for staff, a kitchenette and a toilet. ‘Organizing storage was another task we were presented with, for which we used all remaining available space. We provided multi-tiered rails for storage, equipped with a ladder for convenience. All showroom furniture – sofas, floor lamps, screen stands and reception desks – is custom-made according to our own designs,’ continues balbek bureeau.
A distinctive feature of the showroom is its sculptural, metallic-like, wavy walls that set the tone for the rest of the design elements. Its execution was far from simple; the contour of the walls moves in complex curves, not in a simple radii. After mapping them out on the floor, the team assembled a frame of closely spaced wall profiles to which a plasterboard cut into thin strips and polished with wax was attached, giving the walls that metallic shine.
Meanwhile, balbek bureau used Microcement as flooring on the first floor; with its smooth and flexible quality, the material encovers the reception desk and takes over the exhibition area, making the furniture seem as if it has grown out of the floor. The fitting room area is carpeted to match the plaster and concrete, creating a uniform color block.
