Corporate Atmosphere

For the third time, MADEby assembled leading designers to an informal summit meeting, this time in the souks of Marrakesch. The objective: To find answers to the many pressing questions regarding retail-design.

After days of exciting talks, vivid discussions and great social bonding, the group identified a few key theses on the future of store design. Florian Gerlach was one of the guests. He returned with a bunch of new insights.

One of the claims Florian put forth was that atmosphere trumps design. Read his statement:

"How the retail business is evolving in the future depends to a large extend on the products. You don't have to read a text in a book, but a liter of milk will never be available digitally. When looking to buy a dress, sizes like S, M, L and XL are not always the best reference. A good mirror and appropriate lighting, however, are crucial. The main question of the future is: Why should I even visit a retail store? What is the added value for me? Only once I felt completely home in a store. Somebody had identified my needs and desires spot-on. As if the right products were hand-picked from a seemingly infinite assortment and deliciously arranged just for me. A feast for my eyes. 'One shop for me'.

Surprise, inspiration, the story – these are essential ingredients for a grand shopping experience. That's why people make shopping trips to far-away destinations. Unfortunately, many brands are stuck with a consistent application of corporate design guidelines, not acknowledging the fact, that this static practice actually takes away inspiration and makes exciting places interchangeable. Corporate atmosphere is the future. And interior architecture will have the objective to make brand communication come to live. Credible and addressing the senses. For the simple reason that the quality of the stay matters!"

More information on the summit as well as statements of all participants can be read at www.madeby-online.de (German)

The Fast and the Furious

Our team in Stuttgart received an invitation to participate in an office chair hockey tournament organized by Herman Miller and the company Ch@irholder. The official Chairholder championships 2014. Always ready for a new challenge, of course we said YES!

We did not know exactly what we were in for, but we knew it would be fun. We teamed up with W-Architekten under the name "tot-arch".

Then we rolled on office chairs, hockey sticks in our hands - two small teams of  five - and waited for the referree's sign. Excitement was in the air.

As the whistle sounded through the nicely converted warehouse, the contestants darted towards the puck. The little black piece of foam was shoved back and forth across the playing field, chairs crashing into each other. We swang the hockey sticks and yelled out at every hit and goal.

Each round lasted for six minutes, three minutes per half. In the second match Uli bursts his stick in two. Shortly after, we made a goal only two seconds into the second half and proceeded to a brilliant 4:1 win. It wasn't all rosy though... We lost the next game 6:1 and had to suffer another defeat. We held up the morale high though and finished with a glorious thrid place out of six teams in our group.

The broken hockey stick was our "trophy" in the end. Good-humored people, delicious food and a superb organization made us forget the many bruises (including one bleeding finger), sweat and breathlessness  we had to endure. It was outbalanced by laughter and cheeriness. A brilliant afternoon. STRIKE !!

Finally - Inauguration of Olga Hospital, yeah!!!

... A lot of work, intensive meetings, thoughts and ideas and their implementation without end - now it's done.

The Olga Hospital was inaugurated and is ready for the public starting tomorrow.

We are proud and happy, to have shouldered this project and created a cheerful, light and child-and mother-friendly interior design.

Thank you to the whole team  and all the sub-teams involved for their tireless work over 5 years. It was worth the efforts!

happy hipster

... As in every year, Easter was announced with poor weather. So what to do?

Some adults feel restored to the years of their childhood. So I did as well.  And why not? Paint, brushes and boiled eggs were collected. The rain pattered on the paschal freshly cleaned windows, while I tried my luck with hearts, stripes and dots. The hands became always more colorful, while my fingerprints on the table, shirt and eggs immortalized.
Finally everything was just smeared and without structure. I had failed miserably - children often do better.

I decided to return to myself:
I dipped the eggs  into black paint and let them dry. Then white colour onto the brush drawing clear lines and patterns.
Wow, cool thing, I had created designer eggs which had nothing in common with the usual colorful variety, but I had no longer to be ashamed :-)

Stuttgart City Library @ BING

This definitely wins BING some extra sympathy points, at least among us libraray enthusiasts.

Brings back memories of long-spent hours designing and planning every little detail in this  building, which was kind of a love-hate relationship for everyone involved. Steffi could probably still tell you the whereabouts of every single wall socket in the building when randomly woken from sleep and questioned in the middle of the night. And tell you an anecdote about it... Seriously, you should hear some of her stories.

The project turned out really beautiful though, and we are glad to see that the Stadtbücherei am Mailänder Platz is enjoying such a positive reputation in the media and better yet, among the people who use it. If you haven't checked it out yet, it's definitely worth a visit, even without the anecdotes.

story-telling: Step into

Appointment in the production .... just Friday .... which is again one of those things , all in light gray stains with absorbent material, filtered air ...
I approach the building ... industrial ... and I think: quickly in and quickly out.

The door opens, and at first it is dark. Then a picture begins to materialize. A room with no apparent ceiling and floor, all black. Suddenly - glowing pixels start to form an exhibition and add together.
Exciting pictures, almost crystal clear, set together from multiple images to form one . I feel  nearly sucked.
I stroll from one exciting image fragment to the next, and sideways seatings come up and disappear.

In front of me flying cameras. They seem to float in the glass shelf… very old, newer and up to the newest. Ah, I want, I must have one!

I turn around to study the pictures again, but now the images have gone and I realize a complete shop. Here I can choose my camera, and lenses of my dreams are also available.
Laterally from the lens rack a red glow: a photo lab, but a "state of the art" ... and behind the reception desk a complete print street.

A friendly voice welcomes me and ask for espresso or any other requests before my contact partners will meet me in the studio.
In the studio? I should have a meeting I think...
"Go ahead. "
I walk around the corner and feel blinded - white ceiling , white floor, white wall . Wow, a complete photo studio with rounded walls and a snow-white conference table with the same coloured chairs.
Suddenly I feel like I should take off my shoes ...

When I step out of the building into reality, I have a new picture of the company (and a new camera).
What's reality now?

(text and foto in cooperation with Max Wuppermann)

Spring food

smoothly breathing wind, shining sun and a good meal - that's Totems at high noon in spring