Toronto Flagship Tea Shop

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The flagship store is designed specifically for branding purposes as the location of the project is situated in Canada's busiest shopping mall - Eaton Centre. The store location is the first store situated outside of the subway on the first floor of the mall and is deemed as a prime location for this type of business. With a wide and welcoming entrance, the vision that the designer had in mind was to create a hotspot for shoppers to gather and meet.

Dimensions & Packaging

The floor area for the project is 139sqm. The designer used a 5mm wiggle board with a veneer finish as a backing of the ashwood slates. For the millwork, it was cladded and sculpted with locally sourced ashwood. The logo had been engraved into the solid surfaces facade at a 3mm thickness to allow light to penetrate through for a clearly lit sign. The overall solid surface and bulkhead are rounded off with thermal forming technique to create a harmonious combination throughout the store and the shopping mall.

Tags

Studio Yimu, Interior Design, Commercial Design, Modern, Cafe Design, Flagship Store, Toronto, Canada

Production Technology

The project has 3 main phases of production the wall background, the millwork solid surfaces, and the entrance. Firstly, the wall background was built with blended ashwood slates and solid surfaces to foreshadow the harmonious silhouette of Canadian natural landscape. Secondly, the purpose of the millwork sculpture was to create 3 dimensional depth against the wall background, contributing a new customer experience. The handcrafted millwork is made with 100% locally sourced Canadian ashwood where the design pricisely carved and sanded off. Lastly, to maximize an open concept entrance, the designer used a clear yet minalmistic sinange to avoid disrupting the atmosphere and perception that the millwork and wall background provides.

Design Challenge

The millwork sculpture is particularly challenging to simultaneously mimic Canadian landscape and the shape of a mango in reflection of the store's most popular beverage. Particularly, it was difficulty in achieving the desired curves and form of the sculptures when finding the balance between the artistic element of the millwork piece and to create a functional seating area.

Research

To adopt the new consumerism and provide authenticity of the brand's origin, the designer created the millwork sculpture as an ambiguous element to facilitate customers to have their own perception of the piece. Based on the market research of the brand, their target audience are ages from 16-30. The designer's goal of the millwork sculpture is not only to have a functional and aesthetic pleasing piece, but an interactive piece that works well with the target audience.

Inspiration

Inspired by Canadian landscape, the project replicates the freeflowing silhouette of the famous Canadian blue mountain to create an unconventional and ambiguous seating area for a new customer experience. The most popular drink on the menu is the fresh mango slush where the designer similarly incorporates the outline of a mango into the concept featuring it as an interactive element that involves every customer. Panelled with ashwood throughout the store, it creates a clean and refreshing environment for customers to fuel up with a chilled beverage.

Project Duration

Project start May 2018 and completed in August 2018. Located in Toronto, Canada.

Operation Flow

The freeform sculptures captures the first perception of the store. Against the wall background facade and the wall curvatures, it comfortably leads the customer's perception in a fluid motion through the store. The designer made with freeform sculpture as a unconventional yet ineteractive seating area but also to organize and direct customer traffic.

Image Credits

Image #1: Eric Lau 2019
Image #2: Scott Norsworthy 2019
Image #3: Scott Norsworthy 2019
Image #4: Scott Norsworthy 2019
Image #5: Scott Norsworthy 2019