SONYSTORE
Flagship . Retail Experience
Year of Completion / August 2018
Client / Sony Malaysia
Location / BBCC, Lalaport, Kuala Lumpur
Square Meters / 775m2 / 8,118sqft.
Design Lead / ChunJen Chiam
Design Management / Gin Low
Design Team / Gaven Lim, Klaus Teh
Client Brief
The client, SONY, aimed to create a flagship retail experience store that not only showcased its innovative products but also established a strong connection between modern technology and timeless design. The goal was to craft an immersive retail environment that invites customers to engage with SONY’s technology in a space that blends industrial aesthetics with contemporary functionality.
Challenge
One of the main challenges was integrating SONY’s sleek and cutting-edge technology within a retail environment characterised by industrial and rustic elements. The design had to balance this industrial feel, with no exposed bricks but using concrete motif floor tiles, against the clean and minimal aesthetic required to showcase high-tech products. Additionally, the layout had to facilitate easy navigation while ensuring distinct zones for various product categories, all while maintaining an inviting and cohesive experience for customers.
Concept
The design concept, titled “Industrial Folklore,” merges the rugged charm of an industrial, factorylike setting with SONY’s forward-looking innovation. The space is characterised by concrete motif floor tiles, steel beams, and wooden elements that evoke a modern industrial feel. The design reflects craftsmanship, community, and history while seamlessly integrating SONY’s cutting-edge products. The goal was to create a narrative that blends past traditions with future technologies, creating an experience where customers can connect with both the product and the design environment.
Layout
SONY’s flagship store is divided into distinct zones, each highlighting different product categories while maintaining a cohesive and open flow. The Digital Imaging Corner features sleek metal shelving and wooden accents that frame cameras and lenses. Demo stations provide hands-on testing, while large screens display high-definition content. The Personal Audio Corner is designed with black metal fixtures and light wooden tables, offering a minimalist and modern space for headphones and earphones, complete with interactive stations for customer engagement.
In the PlayStation Corner, bold neon signage and demo stations create a dynamic and immersive gaming experience. The TV Corner emphasises SONY’s high-definition TVs, featuring concrete motif floor tiles and neutral tones with seating arrangements that simulate a home-theatre environment. The Accessories Corner uses wood shelving and metal fixtures to display gadgets in an organised, accessible manner. Finally, the Video Live Corner offers interactive experiences for live streaming and video production, allowing customers to engage with SONY’s creative technology.
Implementation
The Industrial Folklore concept emphasised the use of modern industrial materials to enhance the space without overwhelming it. Key materials such as concrete motif floor tiles were selected for their durability and industrial-inspired appearance, perfectly complementing SONY’s sleek, modern product design. Steel beams and wooden accents were incorporated to add both strength and warmth, creating a balanced aesthetic. Neutral tones were applied throughout the store to maintain a cohesive, open, and modern atmosphere while ensuring the focus remained on the products. Lighting was carefully planned to balance ambient light with focused lighting on specific product zones, creating immersive experiences ranging from the relaxed environment off the TV corner to the dynamic, energetic ambiance in the PlayStation area.
Details
Attention to detail played a significant role in reinforcing the store's industrial-modern concept. Signage throughout the store utilised clean, bold fonts with backlighting to guide customers while enhancing the modern industrial feel. The furniture, which was modular and minimalist, allowed flexibility in the layout, ensuring the space could adapt to new product displays as needed. Interactive elements, such as touchscreens and product testing stations, were seamlessly integrated into the rustic-industrial design, providing customers with a blend of physical and digital experiences that encouraged engagement with the products.
Conclusion
In conclusion, SONY’s flagship retail store successfully combines the Industrial Folklore design with cutting-edge technology. Each corner of the store, from digital imaging to personal audio, offers an immersive experience that aligns with SONY’s brand ethos of innovation. By using materials like concrete motif floor tiles and steel, the store evokes a sense of history and community while keeping the focus on SONY’s modern products.
