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The evolution of retail design requires research into architectural practices in the digital realm. While physical commercial spaces have been the traditional centerpiece of the shopping experience, the Internet of virtual 3D environments – the emerging frontier of the Metaverse – signals an important shift in how brands interact with consumers. For the architect, this limited space presented a unique canvas, free from the constraints of materials that traditionally shape the design concept. The virtual universe is a new realm where the architecture of imagination can be fully realized, triggering a re-conceptualization of retail design possibilities.
For decades, retail design has focused on creating experiential spaces that engage consumers, optimize product presentation, and reinforce brand image. From carefully curated displays in high-end boutiques to efficient layouts in supermarkets, every element of the physical retail environment is carefully designed to influence shopper experience and behavior.
With the disruptive emergence of e-commerce, the retail landscape has changed, resulting in the gradual erosion of traditional brick-and-mortar stores. The commoditization of convenience in online marketplaces draws consumers’ attention away from physical retail spaces. While the dominance of the digital realm is an undisputed reality, it often overshadows the emotional connection and sense of serendipitous discovery that comes through physical retail stores.
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Technology, big data and the future of retail design
In this digital realm, the boundaries between the tangible and the intangible become fluid, resulting in immersive environments that challenge traditional notions of retail engagement. Virtual universes offer an opportunity to reimagine the nature of the consumer journey, blending the tactile allure of physical space with the endless possibilities of the virtual realm. Virtual universes bring about an unexplored techno-social phenomenon that may facilitate a renaissance of traditional brick-and-mortar retail infrastructure. This medium holds the potential to recreate the consumer experience by making room for the fusion of virtual and physical touchpoints.
Samsung has taken a groundbreaking step by launching a virtual replica of its 837 flagship store in New York City on the Decentraland metaverse platform. The move highlights how quickly major tech giants are embracing Metaverse as an innovative business frontier. Samsung’s virtual 837X store provides an immersive “experience playground” with multi-zone attractions and exclusive NFT rewards for users who complete tasks, setting an example for other businesses.
The store’s engaging features, such as a resident virtual DJ and sweepstakes for branded avatar accessories, highlight the advantages established brands enjoy in leveraging their resources and brand equity to establish a compelling presence within the Metaverse environment. As a pioneer, the Samsung 837X demonstrates how retailers can creatively transform their physical experiences into captivating digital realms.
It’s not just tech companies that are embracing the virtual retail space, but also iconic fashion brands known for their cutting-edge sensibilities. Balenciaga, for example, made a bold statement by launching its collection through an immersive video game experience. Fashion lovers can experience the game at videogame.balenciaga.com, where users embark on a journey through a dystopian Balenciaga store environment, entering an increasingly lush utopian virtual environment, culminating in calming breathing exercises. The brand has established a dedicated virtual division “focused entirely on developing products, projects and experiences designed specifically for the virtual universe,” signaling a broader strategic shift in the fashion industry to embrace these emerging digital spaces.
During Milan Fashion Week 2022, fashion brand Benetton has announced its innovative digital retail plans in the coming weeks. The brand’s flagship store on Milan’s iconic Corso Vittorio Emanuele II has been transformed into an immersive mixed media space, providing a preview of the upcoming virtual store experience. The physical store features a vibrant pink color palette that reflects the brand’s colorful image and mimics the glamorous atmosphere envisioned for the digital store. Benetton Group CEO Massimo Renon laid out the company’s vision to replicate the emotional essence of virtual stores in a physical space, inviting customers to immerse themselves in a blend of creativity, vibrant colors and immersive sound middle.
While every major brand has a presence in the virtual world, businesses of all sizes have the opportunity to shape this emerging virtual landscape. Unlike physical buildings, virtual spaces offer flexibility for iterative design adaptation, providing small companies with unique branding possibilities. In a virtual world, architects are not limited by their longevity when designing virtual structures. Digital architecture does not require a solid foundation or permanent aesthetic elements. From a design perspective, this gives architects the freedom to embrace fashion rather than timelessness, knowing that the building’s exterior and interior can be easily modified and updated as needed.
The emergence of virtual universes promises to challenge traditional approaches. Virtual commercial spaces are not subject to physical constraints and can transcend the limitations of traditional store layouts and product displays. The rise of virtual universes heralds a paradigm shift in how architects design space. Architects no longer focus solely on physical structures, but instead carefully curate multi-sensory virtual experiences aimed at creating an emotional connection with consumers. This ideological evolution requires a re-evaluation of architects’ skills and knowledge base.
Understanding consumer behavior and customer profiles has become critical, allowing architects to conduct and strategically design immersive virtual environments that will have a strong appeal to the target audience. Crafting compelling narratives—infused with symbolic imagery and multiple layers of meaning—becomes a key skill that infuses these spatial experiences with deeper brand resonance and memorable impact.
Furthermore, in this new technology-driven era, the use of digital design tools has become very important. Virtual space concepts must be rendered with precise realism, perfectly simulating physical properties to blur the lines between virtual and real-world realms. Seamless integration of haptic technologies that simulate touch, immersive spatial audio, and innovative multi-sensory features are critical to fully engaging all human senses.
In this new virtual realm, architects become interdisciplinary creators—harmoniously blending elements of psychology, storytelling, digital art, and sensory design. Their role is to create a holistic, multi-sensory experience that stimulates the human senses and leaves a lasting impression in the consumer’s mind. The infinite nature of the metaverse challenges architects to transcend traditional architectural constraints and fully embrace their role as orchestrators of experience.
Metaverses offer architects a vast and uncharted creative canvas—an immersive frontier where design innovation can flourish. The future of retail experience will be built not with the traditional materials of bricks and mortar, but with new modes of pixels and polygons.
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