Recently, I became a co-author of the Russian projectThe architectural bureau UNK project became the designer of the newly opened interior boutique Crate & Barrel. This article is about how the architects created the interior for the iconic American store. The first chain store of furniture, tableware and interior items Crate & Barrel in Russia has opened in Moscow's Afimall. The architectural bureau with Western working principles UNK project was invited to implement the interior design project. The legendary store with a half-century history is located on an area of 3,000 sq. m in the business center of Moscow. Entering the interior, you involuntarily feel at home. And this is not only due to the abundance of decor, but also to the interior concept itself. The layout of the store attracts attention. It is built on the principle of a labyrinth in order to carefully study one zone after another. The design of the windows is also interesting. The wide passage between the window and the shelves, designed as full-fledged functional zones, creates the illusion of a home space of rooms, where it is much quieter and more comfortable than in the store itself. Entering here, the visitor himself becomes part of the display window, which intrigues and attracts the attention of passing customers.
The ceiling in the store is deliberately low.— from 3.1 to 3.7 meters. This allows you to feel like you are in a familiar home interior, and small pieces of furniture and accessories do not get lost in the general mass of goods. The peculiarity of this project was that the franchise conditions provide for a very strict organization of boutiques according to all the requirements of the brand, and they are not so easy to apply in Russian realities. The task was complicated by the tight deadlines — the finished project must be implemented within two months. To adapt the project to the Russian market, UNK project architects were invited, headed by Yulia Tryaskina. During the implementation of the project, the architects encountered several difficulties.
Yulia Tryaskina, co-founder of the architecturalUNK project bureau Graduate of the Moscow Architectural Institute, faculty of public and residential buildings. She began her career in the American architectural bureau HOK. Since 2000, she has been one of the three driving forces of the UNK project architectural bureau. In the company, she leads the HoReCa direction. Russian SNiPs and fire safety standards require special treatment of materials, in particular wood, which occupies more than half of the finishing area. However, any actions with the material immediately led to a change in its color. And we had to spend a long time choosing the colors closest to the corporate style.
Система освещения также не соответствовала Russian standards, and the General Electric company specially developed lamps in the style of American analogues, while suitable for domestic line voltage. Russian architects very scrupulously studied foreign experience, visiting Crate & Barrel stores in America and communicating with colleagues in order not only to implement the project according to the company's brand book, but also to create a truly Russian atmosphere in the interior. The only difference between the Russian interior and the foreign one was the large gas fireplace, which the architects insisted on. It gives the room an atmosphere of coziness and warmth of the hearth.
The very name Crate & Barrel revealshistory of the brand. More than half a century ago, before the launch of the first store, there was no money left to buy shelves. Therefore, all the goods were laid out on boxes and barrels - hence the name. The idea of primeval and casualness is also present in the modern design of the store's interior. The goods are displayed in display cases that combine different textures and shades of natural materials. And artificial imperfections in the wall decoration organically complement the concept of the author's design of the products presented. In the near future, Crate & Barrel will be expanding its network in Russia and the CIS countries. UNK project hopes that the projects will be joint. And given that Crate & Barrel is originally a street retail format, the architects are already ready to design and build an entire store for the brand. Photos provided by Crate & Barrel and UNK Project
How to Make a Store Look Like a Residential Interior: Crate & Barrel in Russia
