Durasport’s interactive Singapore store is a vision of the future
When the Singapore-based studio Ministry of Design was asked to create a sports store in Moshe Safdie’s sprawling new Jewel complex at Changi Airport, it was immediately confronted with the same existential question that has plagued retailers since the relentless rise of internet shopping: ‘How do we make a brick and mortar store relevant in the 21st century?’
The answer it seems, at least so far as the 183 square metre Durasport is concerned, is to insist on a best-in-class inventory that’s intuitively paired to a suite of hi-tech interactive experiences.
It also helps that the store – a futuristic cocoon whose ovaloid floorplan is lined with shimmering stainless steel panels and LED strips – eschews the mass sports market in favour of what lead designer Colin Seah describes as ‘the ultra-performance athlete and sporting enthusiast. The vibe is very much inspired by the analytic thinking and R+D labs in which the products are originally developed.’
To that end, the store is divided into four zones: cycling, arctic, rock-climbing and trizone, each of which is stocked with a small, premium range of clothing, gadgets and accessories – including Ameo swimwear, Hummingbird bikes, and Dynafit ski boots – alongside a piece of hi-tech machinery on which the products can be tested. As Seah puts it, the store and its merchandise is aimed squarely at the athlete who wants to shave an extra second off their performance time.
And so, for instance, the cycling zone features a $30,000 Dassi bicycle that’s perched on a Nero Elite Interactive trainer whose flywheels can be programmed by iPad to simulate slope gradients. Climbing shoes can be tested on a rotating climbing wall, whilst the Pro Ski 360 simulator can be set to freeride or slalom terrain.
Meanwhile, if you’re not sure what that titanium fibre wetsuit looks on you without the hassle of actually trying it on, an interactive mirror superimposes the outfit on your reflection, takes a selfie and emails the picture to you.
For Seah, whose studio was also responsible for developing the brand identity and marketing, Durasport is nothing if not a peek into the future of retailing – one that is both laser-focused on its niche market, and completely immersive in the consumer’s ability to test-run a product before hitting the cashier. ‘It was a real challenge to align the business model with the design,’ he says. Mission accomplished, we say.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Durasport website
ADDRESS
78 Airport Boulevard
#02-224/225 Changi Jewel
Singapore
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
Miami Navigator: where to stay, eat, drink and shop in Florida's design-savvy maximalist metropolis
What to do in Miami, where ivory beaches and umbrella-clad caipirinhas share the stage with discerning galleries and global art and design fairs
By Annie Biziou Published
-
Fashionable Christmas baubles to accessorise this year’s tree, from Bottega Veneta to Loewe
Selected by the Wallpaper* style team, a gleaming array of Christmas baubles for fashion fans featuring fantastical designs from Bottega Veneta, Loewe, Prada and more
By Jack Moss Published
-
Discover South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island: food, fun and beachside bliss
With natural splendour and a balmy, subtropical climate, Hilton Head Island beckons beach-goers, gourmets and golf fans alike
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
AlphaTauri’s Salzburg HQ is a science fiction fantasy
Browse in-store, buy online: the future-focused mentality of AlphaTauri
By Simon Mills Last updated
-
Water inspires Holzweiler’s Snøhetta-designed Oslo flagship
Holzweiler Platz, the new retail destination of fashion brand Holzweiler in Oslo, is designed by architects Snøhetta as a naturalistic space that unites fashion, art and food
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Manu Atelier's first boutique nods to Le Corbusier in Istanbul
The cult Istanbul-based label introduces bold, sculptural expressionism into this first bricks and mortar store
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Louis Vuitton's Ginza Namiki flagship evokes a rippling pillar of water
Japanese architect Jun Aoki creates a water-like facade for Louis Vuitton's Ginza Namiki Tokyo flagship
By Danielle Demetriou Last updated
-
Alternative retail websites for fashionable festive gifting
Look to luxury etailers Rêve En Vert, APOC Store and Doda the Store, Aspect and Zero-Living for feel-good gifting options that support emerging creatives and artists, and have a sustainability-focused mindset
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Aspesi’s upcycled shirt is a winter wardrobe staple
The Italian brand's Shirt-Jacket 13 silhouette is well padded with eco-credentials
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
David Chipperfield designs Furla's new flagship in Milan's historic Piazza Duomo
Gio Ponti, Vico Magistretti and Achille Castiglione inspire the brand's newest Milan boutique
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Morocco-based Marrakshi Life combines traditional techniques with a New York aesthetic
Clothing brand Marrakshi Life champions a unisex, hand-tailored line
By Grace Cook Last updated