Interior Design

Bon Accord Fashion Hub, Aberdeen

Brief
Keppie Interior Design was appointed by Land Securities to undertake a feasibility study of the central atrium space.  We were asked to investigate ways to improve visibility and customer flow around the shop units.  The new design concepts were to be contemporary and particularly appealing to both potential fashion retailers and the fashion conscious shopper. Ceilings and lighting installations were to be investigated.  The areas directly in front of the shop units were dark and uninspiring offering little attraction to shoppers.
Response
Working closely with the Client's agents F G Burnett and EYCO, Keppie established that the sightlines of units nineteen to twenty three were particularly poor.   A combination of badly placed retail merchandising units, signage, planting and deep column claddings all contributed to this issue.  We developed proposals for a new slimmer replacement column cladding and illustrated this idea initially through plans and sketch drawings.  Ideas for ceilings and lighting were developed with Land Securities’ environmental policy in mind.   The latest LED fittings were proposed to reduce both running and maintenance costs.

In order for Land Securities and their potential tenants to fully understand what our proposals would bring, Keppie produced photo-realistic computer generated images giving our Client the confidence to take the proposals through to detailed design stages and thereafter onto site.
Outcome
The large diameter laminate column claddings were stripped back to their concrete substrate.  These were then clad with granite and glass panels, reducing their overall column width substantially.  The ceilings were replaced with new open cell, maintaining the shopping centre's fire strategy without adding huge cost to the project.  Other improvements include new glass lift claddings, changeable graphic panels, new plasterboard and an LED lit frieze to the atrium.  All six retail units were pre-let prior to completion.  Fashion retailers such as Karen Millen and Coast have been secured.

Team