The interior is designed all of a piece. It is a harmonious composition, a walk-in sculpture. The organically shaped interior exerts an attraction upon entering it and transports the customer gently through the room, as it were. Pleasant feelings and associations with the warmth and security of the interior of a body should be generated. All load-bearing walls and the ceilings are covered with facing elements. Upon every movement in the shop, the effect of this fascinating composition of curved, slanted, rising and falling lines changes as the perspective changes. The impact is enhanced by the use of mirrors which visually enlarge the room and seemingly eliminate its boundaries, the walls and ceilings.
Walk-in sculpture
The walkway meanders through the store past the display cases, its course corresponding to the lines of the floor, ceiling and lighting design. The customer should move through the shop intuitively. The display cases are simultaneously integrated into the wall and also the mirrors. Some of the showcase presentations even move.
The dominant element of shop design is the combination of white-plastered surfaces and strongly grained zebrano wood surfaces. In addition, steel, chrome, glass and perspex were used. The floor is made of white and black ground natural stone, with an admixture of a silver metallic effect, and looks medium-grey.
In the entrance area the white plaster has been combined with steel surfaces. Here the open sunglasses display is positioned, designed to encourage impulse buying. The mid-shop area is lower and more ‘intimate’. The consultation desks are located here. This area features protective wooden ceiling and wall panelling and a wall-mounted oval consisting of dark-violet ‘glamour velvet’. Violet leather, violet and naturally warm LED lighting plus relaxing lounge music enhance the effect. The rear part of the shop reveals a second, open-sided floor. Images are projected onto the stair construction. Each consulting desk is equipped with a small flat screen on a pedestal to provide digital assistance in advisory talks.
The facade of the shop, white marble prior to renovation, was replaced by a front made of glossy black granite. The ‘Hofstede’ lettering was milled out and highlighted with LED light. The entrance was repositioned so that it is now symmetrical to better comport with the classic facade and the in-shop walkway. The shop window design with its combination of matt and clear glass, and the perspex cubes behind this, create a visually exciting and tempting view into the shop, whose strong design is emphasised by its lighting architecture.The lighting uses mostly LEDs. This includes the lighting of the display cases: colour-changing LEDs have been incorporated into their rear panels and shelf floors. Much indirect lighting is employed, becoming a part of the architecture. The 250 LED strips highlighting the floor, ceiling and wall architecture were developed specifically for this shop project.
About half of the interior finish of Hofstede Optiek in The Hague was produced individually and locally, all in all a refined concept including much custom construction instead of confection.
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