Studio Gascoigne won a credentials pitch to design Lotto New Zealand ‘s first flagship store.

Our initial role was to workshop with the clients to identify the experience of buying a Lotto ticket. The brief also included the implementation of the Lotto’s new logo & graphic chart developed by Interbrand of New York. 

Carpet stores tend to be very bland, functional environments dominated by mismatching manufacturers’ stands and a hodgepodge of samples; but as a pilot store for a new type of home furnishings retail, Carpet Court Albany wanted an active space where clients could create a full colour story for their homes.

We transformed most samples into the same size for an easy mix into mood boards, rejected the typical carpet tiered displays in favour of holders that allow samples to be easily compared, featured a curved wall to allow an inspiring overview of colour options and installed easily moveable and reconfigurable pods to display any product.

The clients aim was to re-launch their presence in Wellington with a new flagship concept which would include elements that could also be used in future locations.

The challenge of working with a world-famous fashion designer is to support but not overpower the fashions displayed, nor to follow one architectural style. Studio Gascoigne’s intent was to combine elements of Trelises’s eclectic, colourful and detailed style into an environment neutral enough to adapt to a variety of clothes, seasons and events.

When we received the brief for Kiwi Discovery’s new tourist and souvenir shop in the refurbished Auckland International Airport terminal it sounded like a fun project to showcase a wide variety of New Zealand products and memories to departing tourists. 

The brief called for a neutral palette to compliment the back and white logo, appeal to a largely Asian clientele and not compete with the multi-coloured packaging. Signage had to be explicit to cater for (often hurried) non-English speaking customers. Racking had to be very multi-functional so that most product categories could be displayed anywhere in the store. 

Icebreaker’s new flagship store is located in the International terminal at Auckland Airport. This particular store is aimed directly at departing tourists and serves to not only to showcase latest icebreaker product but also to do this in the context of a very New Zealand environment that also showcases Icebreakers latest of New Zealand.

Materials are all natural: New Zealand pine or ply for fixtures and ceiling beams, natural timber floor, semi-random stone tiles to replicate South Island schist and real barn wood, sourced from Canada. Walls are painted in cementitious paint while the back wall is clad and in real New Zealand moss. The shopfront is also deliberately barn-like and open to allow customers to easily fall into the otherwise narrow store.

When Honda New Zealand Chief Executive Nobu Sonoda approached us to re-design their flagship branch in Newmarket his main criteria was the customer’s first impression was that it should look like that of a five-star hotel. His reasons for this were that a Honda customer welcome should be second to none so as to reflect the respective the brand has for its customers.

The brief was to reconfigure the existing reception area to also house a service reception facility, which was a relocated from downstairs, and to add a new reception to cater for Honda’s New Zealand’s head office which is also on this site. The other major part of the work was to create a customer lounge in which customers could wait to pick up cars, or just hang out in the type of club lounge situation. There is also a small work space in which customers can work while their cars are being serviced. The showroom also features a museum area to showcase the proud history of Honda.