Image Credit : Construction Reel By Shawmut Construction
Project Overview
The PUMA flagship store was a highly significant project for PUMA North America, Inc. and considered the brand’s first of its kind North American Flagship store built in New York City. The experience begins for the consumer prior to setting foot inside the store—the unique custom storefront façade was inspired by the iconic PUMA tread. Once inside, the double-height first floor connected by interlacing escalators provide shoppers with fluid circulation between the 1st and 2nd-floor experience.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Architect- Design Republic
Construction Managers- Shawmut Construction
Lighting Designer- Lighting Workshop
MEP Engineer- Fiskaa Engineering
Structural Engineer- Severud Associates Consulting Engineers
Structural Curtain Wall Consultant- Eckersley O’Caliaghan Partners
Acoustic Consultant- Cerami Associates
Audio Visual Consultant- Gable Company
Vertical Transportation Consultant- Boca Group
Code Consultant- Brookebridge Consultant Services Inc.
Project Brief
The design concept embraces an honest architecture, incorporating a transparent industrial envelope comprised of 18,000 square-foot of space with exposed ceilings, infrastructure, and concrete plaster finishes. The store’s navigational flow invites shoppers to explore each of the interactive areas while displaying PUMA’s range of performance and athleisure merchandise.
The flagship is focused on the consumer, providing them a breadth of experiences that extend beyond traditional retail shopping with three interactive customer experience zones. And local coffee purveyor Birch Coffee, located on the 2nd floor, provides shoppers an opportunity to enjoy a casual social setting as a supplement to the shopping experience.
To provide a truly personal experience, the customization studio offers shoppers an opportunity to work with the PUMA team or visiting artist in residence to create a product that is uniquely their own.
Project Innovation/Need
The flagship is focused on the consumer, providing them a breadth of experiences that extend beyond traditional retail shopping with three interactive customer experience zones. In the motorsports dedicated area, customer’s race in a professional F1 race car simulator, which takes them on a course through the streets of NYC. In the basketball area, spectator bench seating allows shoppers to sit and play the latest basketball console game on a massive screen. One of the more immersive regions, the soccer Skill Cube utilizes simulator technology, turf floor, and occupancy sensors to mimic the pitch of Milan’s San Siro Stadium and allows customers an opportunity to try out PUMA gear as they perform skills through virtual coaching instruction.
Local coffee purveyor Birch Coffee, located on the 2nd floor, provides shoppers an opportunity to enjoy a casual social setting as a supplement to the shopping experience. With the use of technology in the store’s fitting room area, customers have the opportunity to interact with merchandise through iMirrors, allowing customers an immersive in-store experience to receive a tailored service and discover personalized offerings.
To provide a truly personal experience, the customization studio offers shoppers an opportunity to work with the PUMA team or visiting artist in residence to create a product that is uniquely their own.
Design Challenge
The main design challenge was the creation of the unique custom storefront façade. With the formation of this focal point, the following challenges came forward: customization of fixtures, accurate timing, intricacy of elements, and the coordination of new features and existing elements. The façade needed to be custom-made for PUMA which was inspired by the iconic PUMA tread, brought to life with over 230 faceted glass panels highlighted by 460 LED segmented linear fixtures. There were intricate lighting components and connections/junctions that needed to be carefully considered. The team worked with engineers in Germany to custom-make the panels and LED segmented linear fixtures. Once they arrived, these needed to fit like a glove and getting the dimensions right was crucial to the efficacy of the project timeline. Also important, were the balance and coordination between new and existing elements in order for these connections to allow movement.
Sustainability
Used a low E coating on the laminated glass composition for the store front façade to meet energy code guidelines/requirements.
Architecture - Commercial - Constructed
This award celebrates the design process and product of planning, designing and constructing form, space and ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, and aesthetic considerations. Consideration given for material selection, technology, light and shadow.
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