RETAIL AND PRESENTATION

Dear Readers,

A year ago, I promised you a report on the progress of renovation works on the Modiano market hall in Thessaloniki. Well, the holiday in Greece had to be cancelled due to corona, and the same applies to the completion of the renovation. The big celebration of two milestone birthdays was also cancelled: my colleague Dr. Uwe Bresan and I wanted to drink a toast with friends to 100 years of life in all. Nevertheless, I got a present from my dear colleagues — my dream handbag from Tsatsas! The fact that I didn’t even have to enter a shop like Hermes (picture above) makes the gift even more valuable. From the outside, the new building by wulf architekten in Stuttgart is much more attractive anyway. I feel exactly like our columnist Benjamin Reding in his essay “Hands off! (p. 42): I don’t like shopping, I didn’t like it before corona and certainly not online! One thing is certain: The interior design incentive must be very high for me to get lost in a shop or mall. What is also certain, however, is that the projects we have selected for this issue on sales and presentation are capable of luring me into the shops. This is very understandable in the case of the fashion stores in Los Angeles, Fukuoka and Shenzhen — if one could fly there! However, I would venture into the bridal fashion shops in Munich and in Petrer in Spain just for the interior. And that it is possible with interior design means to give a parcel shop in Helsinki (from p. 94) and a funeral parlour in London a striking appearance and functional appeal is worth more than just a look inside. In light of current events, architect Christoph Stelzer from the Stuttgart retail agency dfrost reports on the design of the point of sale in times of corona and beyond (p. 102), and anyone wondering what the future holds for trade fairs will be interested in the article “Trade Fair 2021” (p. 106). The Potsdam-based communications agency ad modum has interviewed creative people worldwide — we present the answers. Stay healthy and confident!

Best wishes
Petra Stephan, Dipl.-Ing.
Chief Editor
Architect