Fitzpatrick Shoes, Dublin
Luxurious shopping atmosphere
Fitzpatricks Shoes have been trading from their Grafton Street Store since 1926 and have become synonymous with the designer brands and high quality associated with the Capitals premier shopping street. For their new store, Fitzpatricks have extended their brand to the other side of Dublin City to the CHQ shopping centre.
The brief for this unit was to create a luxury-shopping environment that would be a showcase to top designer names such as Gucci, Fendi & Prada and draw interest from the surrounding financial district.
21 Space's response to this brief was to draw initial inspiration from classical panelling details which communicates the long established brand of Fitzpatricks Shoes. However, the application of these references is achieved in a highly contemporary manner. The overall effect is that of a modern exhibition installation, on which the designer products can be displayed.
The elaborate and imposing wall units are created in a white high gloss finish and contain floating glass. All of this is suspended invisibly from a dramatic black backdrop. One challenge with this unit was to maximize the limited shop fascia and to differentiate this unit in a Mall of identical shop fronts. The solution for this was to design two elaborate and commanding architrave frames under one of which customers must pass to gain entrance to the store. The other provides a frame to the shop window display and allows views from the Mall to the store interior.
The lighting design emphasises spectacularly the general concept of the interior designers. In contrast to the extensively created wall modules all other room elements have been constructed very straight and formally discreet. Recessed luminaires of the DL170 series bring out this stringent formalism and integrate themselves harmoniously into the pure ceiling view. They ensure an unobtrusively and well-balanced basic illumination. Comparable with an art exhibition the displayed exhibits are played to the gallery with spotlights of the bi.box series. These luminaires are inserted in 3-circuit-tracks and therefore allow a spatial variability.
Fitzpatricks, CHQ, opened their doors to customers in early April 2008, and already have experienced a boost of their brand profile, both at home and internationally, through their association with this contemporary design.
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