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2010 Design Award Winners

Store of the Year

Store of the Year

Barbie Shanghai Shanghai, China

A flagship store bringing to life one of the world’s most recognizable brands had to be special, and this 36,000-square-foot Shanghai store dramatically converted a former theater with unusual floor and ceiling heights into a retail store that is unapologetically girlish, mixing reality and fantasy. A three-story spiral staircase centers the store, enclosing 800 dolls from around the world so that everything literally revolves around Barbie. A pink play area with a cloud fixture combines 2D and 3D elements to bring life to the space. A curvaceous, pearlescent surface fills the lobby, leading to pink escalator tubes that take customers from the street to the double-height main floor. Printed images link 3D space to representational 2D space in a decorated wall combining 2D graphics and 3D formed polycarbonate panels. Overall, the store is open, sparkling white, and playful, with distinct areas filled with Barbie’s characteristic pink color incorporated to intensify Barbie moments. Designed to be an activity-driven brand experience—not just a store—four attractions include the Barbie Design Center, where girls can create their own Barbie fashion statement from a huge range of wardrobe choices; the Barbie Fashion Stage, where girls can take part in a real runway show, choosing outfits from racks of dresses, costumes, and shoes; a full-service spa where visitors can get their hair and nails done; and the Barbie Cafe, a restaurant and gelato bar on the store’s top floor. Slade Architecture led the design of the store, including interior, exterior, fixtures, and furnishings, based on concept design by BIG, a division of Ogilvy & Mather. Chute Gerdeman partnered with Mattel on creating the themed experiences in the fashion stage and design center—crowd management, personalized staffing and attention, time sequencing, and audience participation—in addition to collaborating with the international project team to seamlessly integrate unique environments and brand communications into the larger Barbie Shanghai identity.