Could you imagine how to assemble a ring-shaped mock-up of the remarkable size of 20m in diameter, block by block, inside a factory? The opportunity to embark on this task presented itself to Sice Previt in 2018, as part of a job commissioned by Galeries Lafayette, the famous French luxury department stores. In addition to the historic headquarters, the brand was in fact opening a new location on the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées, thus fulfilling the dream of the founder – who had a remarkable mansion built there in the early twentieth century but had then been forced to sell it – while gaining a suitable location for the business goal of expanding and diversifying its clientele, meeting the most current tastes and consumer styles.
To this end, the definition of the interiors of the new stores was entrusted to the BIG studio, renowned for its innovative designs, which was able to skillfully intervene on the Art Deco architecture of the building (meanwhile adapted by the previous owners) to make it a scenic and fascinating space, suitable for providing an engaging and unforgettable shopping “experience.” He did so, in particular, through the design of a monumental glass second staircase, a psychedelic atrium inspired by the works of artist Philippe Parreno, and several monumental displays.
Sice Previt was responsible for the realization of two of the most distinctive displays: the Serpentine, for which we refer you to the special in-depth article, and the so-called Ring: a large double-sided ring-shaped display with a diameter of as much as 20 m, which follows the circular walkway of the tremie, emphasizing its shape while providing an evocative space for the display of products.
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Made of galvanized micro-perforated steel, the Ring consists of several self-contained modules, all equipped with a LED lighting system. Only the bottom row is an exception, as it consists not of display boxes but of drawer units with electronic locking for product storage.
Sice Previt also took care of the development of the executive project, starting from the feasibility study to the construction of the various mock-ups, and finally to the actual production with ad hoc processed materials. Once a few standard types of modules needed to create the various sections of the ring had been defined, and the wiring system fine-tuned (strictly concealed so as to illuminate the products while maintaining the clean look of the cabinet), we moved on to the most complex part: namely the design of the two suspended portions of the Ring, placed respectively at the monumental Art Deco staircase and the area mirroring it.
Based on accurate static calculations, to ensure the stability of these suspended sections of as much as 8 m each and to avoid any kind of bending, iron tubulars were installed in advance, to which the steel modules were then attached. In general, the entire Ring assembly required careful planning, in methods and in the choice of supporting vehicles.
Sice Previt is proud to have created this display architecture, midway between furniture and structural work: an element that blends, enriching it, with the classical architecture of the historic building chosen by Galeries Lafayette, as well as representing a uniqueness in visual merchandising.
