FROM CONCEPT TO REALITY
An architect stretches imagination
By Charles E. Buban
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:02:00 05/10/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Ask Architect Dindo Guerrero (of Abesamis and Guerrero Architects) why is it so rare for architects to design retail stores and he would explain that most of his colleagues would rather do “serious pursuits” like houses, office and residential buildings as well as parks.
“Stores may be way down on the bottom of the list perhaps because of their permanence if not of the project’s size. However, designing stores could really stimulate an architect’s creativity like what I have experienced in this recent project I had undertaken,” he said.
His recent assignment was doing the store design for ResToeRun located at the second level of TriNoMa (Triangle North of Manila) in Quezon City.
“Initially, I thought this was a food outlet as the name suggested. But when I read the details and sat with the owners (Primer Group of Companies), I learned that they wanted a shoe store with a restaurant ambience,” Guerrero related.
Why restaurant?
So why incorporate a restaurant ambience in a shoe store? Guerrero explained that the challenge of being located in a floor where there are also other shoe stores, is to be able to stand out.
“By incorporating the restaurant idea, ResToeRun is able to create a welcoming and fun ambience. The store is not intimidating and we employed warm lighting, terra cotta colors, red and green hues—reminiscent of an Italian restaurant (which the architect used as an inspiration),” he explained.
To complete the ambience, Guerrero even added a couple of tables and chairs so customers could feel more relaxed.
“I believe this is the only shoe store at the moment where one could wait at table as he or she waits for the chosen shoes to be ‘served,’” added Guerrero.
Artworks
As for the artworks around the store, the architect teamed up with graphic artist, illustrator and TV celebrity Robert Alejandro.
“The store’s design incorporates a variety of materials as well as colors (primarily black and fun shapes intended to capture a customer’s attention. The store here in TriNoMa is much smaller compared to the one in Ayala Center Cebu where we were able to simulate a restaurant’s interior,” Alejandro explained.
Indeed, as a store or other establishment for that matter tries to be different, taking the advantage of an architect’s services could be a great way to see a project in a different perspective.
“An owner may have an excellent idea. The role of the architect is to process this and come up with solid concrete structures. This is one crucial element in construction that is not thought out most efficiently in a lot of times,” Guerrero said.
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