The Department Store As a Theatre
The overarching aim of the project was to revitalise a run-down high street. I approached this by reintroducing retail in a modern way; smaller, flexible retail units mixed with an events / exhibition space in order to appeal to younger people who value experiences over material items, with the overall programme being ‘SHOP’, ‘SHOW’, ‘CREATE’. This programme also links in with the history of the department store (with the site being the old T.J. Hughes building) and how they endeavoured to bring the ‘drama’ and ‘theatre’ to the retail experience.
Furthermore, I attempted to reinforce the identity of the Fabric District (the area in which the site is located) by creating a landmark/ gateway and including bold signage, to help stimulate the general urban context.
