A collection of inquiries in
Architecture & Fabrication
to understand the world
as an assembly of:
Actions
Actors
Elements
Contact
New Wave
Future Retail
Athens, Greece
Program: Retail
Georgia Tech, Studio IV
Instructor: John Peponis
Collaborators: Maria Pastorelli, Skylar Royal
Why do we shop?
The surge of online retail threatens the survival of brick and mortar shops. To compete with supreme convenience, space must be optimized to facilitate the qualities of experience that make the physical act of stepping into the shop worthwhile: the human interaction, the spectacle, and the sensation.
Main Street Render
Spatial Morphology; Parametric Evaluation of Form in Urban Context
Context
Exploded Axonometric View
Site Model; 1:200 Scale
Depicted in copper, the wall that regulates the space makes the assumption based on contemporary retail initiatives such as Amazon Go that digitized product retrieval will be commercially viable within the decade. The wall, filled with personalized carts moving on tracks to retrieve products from storage, would allow the customer to shop hands-free, digitally curating their selection through provided interfaces. When the customer is ready to try their items, they proceed to the top floor lounge where their cart is delivered.
User Sequence
Section Perspective
Section Model; 1:50 Scale
Elevations
Display SpaceBy creating a distinct separation of display and storage, the display space is freed to become a sensory experience full of light and interaction. Consultation and interface allow just as much information to be available, but the process of shopping itself becomes more enjoyable in a less cluttered environment.