by Brianna Crandall — April 13, 2016—Under Armour Brand House, LEGO, and Giorgio Borusso Design took home top honors recently at the A.R.E. Design Awards ceremony held in Las Vegas and produced by A.R.E. | POPAI The New Association.
The Chicago Under Armour flagship store, designed by Big Red Rooster, a JLL company, won the coveted Store of the Year Award, as judges deemed it the year’s very best new store design. The 30,000 sq. ft. store in the heart of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile had fierce competition among the 21 Gold Award winners from around the globe, says the association.
The Chicago Under Armour flagship store, designed by Big Red Rooster, a JLL company, won the coveted Store of the Year Award for the very best new store design.
According to A.R.E., “This two-story Under Armour flagship store blends merchandise, technology, and touches of localization. The Chicago location is a showcase for the brand’s newest and innovative products. An impressive, black entry turret sets the tone for 30,000 sq. ft. of adrenaline-boosting messages and memorable sights.
“Immersion begins in the two-level rotunda with a 65-ft.-high ceiling. Dynamic videos and graphics immediately envelop customers with a high-energy vibe that includes score updates and social media. A giant bust wearing a UA shirt, a soaring ceiling, and a 30-ft.-diameter LED ring provide large-scale imagery.”
A record 75 awards were presented this year, honoring all aspects of retail store design, with winners representing eight countries, including Vietnam and South Korea. The A.R.E. Design Awards program — considered the industry’s largest and most prestigious retail store design awards program — is in its 45th year.
Gold Awards were presented in all categories, as well as the Visual Presentation of the Year, Fixture of the Year, Individual Element Awards, and the Merriman Above and Beyond Award.
LEGO Shopper Marketing Agency of Denmark won Visual Presentation of the Year for its display in the new Hamleys toy store in Moscow’s Lubyanka Square, which utilized 1.9 million LEGO bricks to display culturally and historically significant figures and events.
LEGO Shopper Marketing Agency of Denmark won Visual Presentation of the Year for its display in the new Hamleys toy store in Moscow’s Lubyanka Square. According to A.R.E., “Not every brand can use its actual product to form a visual merchandising display, but to a LEGO enthusiast with 1.9 million LEGO bricks and 8,000 hours, anything can be built!
“The winning LEGO display celebrates culturally and historically significant figures and events, both Russian and global. It portrays the invention of the wheel, Alexander the Great, an iconic Viking ship, Gutenberg, and Galileo and his telescope, telling the story of the rise of mankind and referencing the classic style of Russian monuments. The centerpiece culminates in the age of mass communication and space exploration, acknowledging Russia’s current and past efforts in the field.”
The Store Fixture of the Year was awarded to Giorgio Borruso Design for the Shapeshifter Pixel Wall in the Chicago installation of ShopWithMe, a mobile, interactive retail store.
The Store Fixture of the Year was awarded to Giorgio Borruso Design for the Shapeshifter Pixel Wall in the Chicago installation of ShopWithMe, a mobile, interactive retail store. According to A.R.E., “The functionality of the wall goes far beyond providing a place for goods to sit or hang. It actually brings product to the shopper to show something new and interesting, providing details about products or suggesting accompanying items. Like the store in which it resides, the wall seamlessly integrates technology, merchandise display, and brand building.”
For full coverage of award-winning projects for 2016 as well as from previous years, visit the A.R.E. Design Awards Web site.
