A new store concept to embody Timberland’s refreshed brand voice
In 2022, we were briefed to design Timberland’s global flagship store on Broadway, New York with heritage, sustainability and the consumer at the core. The finished space opened in March 2023 and embodies a new store concept that was created to pair with Timberland’s new brand voice.
Timberland wanted the 550 store to reflect not only their consumers, but the local community in SoHo, NYC. The store is located in a bustling part of Soho, between Prince and Spring. The neighbourhood is a creative playground, but is steeped in history as reflected by the architecture of the 550 store. These were all important touchpoints to consider when designing this space, and how the consumer would engage with it. We were keen to respect the history of the building, whilst also elevating the space to a multi-functional retail store.
Approach
We knew the space needed to feel like a very authentic reflection of the brand and its origins. Timberland was originally known as a workwear brand, and that heritage coupled with the location of the store being in the heart of NYC, were the core inspiration for our design. We looked to incorporate materials that would traditionally not be considered for a high end retail space, such as OSB and galvanised metals, which we felt would both reflect the workwear origins of the brand and would also sit well geographically in the heart of New York where construction sites and scaffolding are sited alongside beautiful brick buildings. Timberland were really clear that they needed flexibility in the design, to make the most of the space, and so again we looked at scaffolding which influenced the grid style fixtures that we would go on to design.
Zoning
The navigation for the store was created by forming distinct zones for each different element, with clear segmentation and signage. Placing Womenswear at the front of the store was a deliberate choice to elevate this section of Timberland’s range.
As well as look sections for both Menswear and Womenswear, we designed footwear destinations that allow the cultural impact of Timberland’s most iconic products to be highlighted alongside new product ranges.
Storytelling
For any brand storytelling is critical and for Timberland 550 it was about bringing together the company’s heritage, their iconic product history, new campaign stories and product features to give consumers a deeper insight into the brand and products. Highlighting hero products was one of the ways we implemented this, and by creating our flexible fixtures system we allowed the team to change up how they display and create stories for each different campaign moving forward.
Colours & Materials
We chose to keep the core, iconic Timberland Wheat colourway for the main, and combined it with pops of their bold Pro Safety Orange to create contrast. This also helped bring together all elements of the brand's products – Work, Life and Outdoors – in one store, and brought us full circle back to the workwear origins that we were so influenced by at the beginning of the brief.
The use of materials such as OSB, metal and exposed brick reinforced this design concept and complemented the selected colourways, as well as providing some recognition of the city landscape around the store.
Sustainability
A key factor always core to our approach and design concepts, as well as being really important to Timberland, was sustainability. We worked to cultivate a space that goes beyond what the consumer sees, making sure that the full life cycle of the materials, fixtures and fittings were considered at all times.
The in-store mannequins were 3D printed from Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) which is a bio based material derived from cornstarch, and the tube lids were 3D printed using recycled plastics. Clothes hangers in-store are 100% recyclable and have been created from Post Industrial and/or consumer waste. The OSB wood panels we used are made of 100% recycled material and all metal components are produced from recycled metal. The final touches of LED Lighting, and Zero-VOC paint used throughout meant that we had been successful in integrating sustainability into every element of the build.
Flexible Space
To ensure longevity of our design, all our fixtures were made to move and can be modified to work for any in store display, event or product launch in the future.
We created a grid system on the ceiling, so that hang bars could be moved to suit any required layout, and this followed through to all of the other fixtures. Each piece is interchangeable and can be easily moved and reconfigured to suit the store’s needs and floorset changes
Services
For the consumer, customisation and a unique user experience were really imperative, particularly in a post-pandemic world. At the 550 broadway store you can pick up your online orders, or you can browse in store and have the items delivered to your home within 4 hours. The services available really set this store apart and so designing the lockers, changing rooms, cash wrap sections and The Shed were imperative to get right. We used 3D renders and photorealistic images throughout the design process to help Timberland’s executive team understand how these elements would all come together.
The Shed is a permanent area of the store where Timberland members can bring their footwear and clothing for customisation, repairs and cleaning. The design for The Shed is based on a prototype Lab at Timberland’s headquarters.
Outcome
We believe that the 550 store creates an opportunity for consumers to get fully immersed in the brand, and their heritage, in an engaging forward thinking way. The design truly reflects everything that is core to this iconic brand, and is a space that can flex and move with the times.
Our relationship with Timberland has been a truly enjoyable one. Working with a dynamic team who have a clear vision, a passion for quality and an openness to creativity is always a joy for us.
Photography credit:https://tdm.space/
