Rounz store in Pan-gyo, designed by Collective B, is an integrated online and offline eyewear shop where you can experience more than 3,000 products and their brand stories. It is also a brand experience store where you can enjoy ‘Zero-Contact’ shopping through Rounz’s cutting-edge AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology and IT (Information technology) which enables virtual fitting and finding right glasses via Roundz Mirror.
The design was focused on providing an optimal experience to customers according to the nature of the spatial program that is derived through thoroughly considered service journey from the beginning in this experience-based store. Under the design concept of ‘Pathfinder’, an efficient traffic flow and open structure of the space were created so that the brand’s technology can be intuitively recognized as friendly AI guide.
The facade is designed to be well shown the inside of the store from the outside with a large floating population by using curved glass with minimum frame and creating pocket space right outside of the entrance door. Once you enter the store, a stretched display on the glass block wall is facing you to show the high-tech pursued by Rounz through video messages. The entire store is an open space that induces free movement, allowing customers to naturally experience the various services provided by the brand.The spatial program derived through the service journey is divided into experience, service, and public zone.
The most important visual element is that the 12m *12m square space is divided into a 50cm*50cm grid to express a functionally organized space with an absolute coordinate.The process of finding the right glasses among 3,000 small glasses in a large place became a motif for the decreasing scale of the grid.These regular grids of various sizes and the blue color symbolizing the brand identity were used to increase the attention of certain spaces in the store.
Rounz is a project that reflects the societal needs in the pandemic era, when all retail stores requires to adapt the concept of Zero-Contact trend. This deep learning artificial intelligence technology will bring a big impact to the eyewear industry in the future, and there will be more and more stores where people can experience this technology. This project, which focuses on reflecting the core values of the brand and the journey through which customers experience the service, rather than the aesthetic aspect, will be a project that proves the sustainability of the Zero-Contact retail store.
