On the ground floor of Google headquarters in Chelsea, Manhattan, Google Store New York marks the brand’s first retail space in the city. Designed by Suchi Reddy (Founder of Reddymade Architecture and Design) and Ivy Ross (VP of Design, UX and Research, Google Hardware), this new retail experience is built on the core principles of neuroaesthetics.
According to the architect, Reddymade’s work follows the belief that ‘form follows feeling. Good design, calibrated carefully to the human, positively influence wellbeing, creativity and productivity.’ Playful and pragmatic, the resulting architecture and interiors are an expression of this motto with spaces that re-awaken visitors to the childlike wonder found in the technology and digital innovation on display.
Featuring soft, tactile surfaces such as cork and wood, the design seeks to put the visitor at ease, welcoming those seeking help alongside those pursuing their curiosity. A gravity-defying metal line twists its way through the room, introducing the intuitive whimsy of unexpected connections and free-form play while defining spaces for living.
Warm lighting and neutral tones guide the eye to the ‘Imagination Space,’ at the entrance to the store. Here, a semi-circular node of extruded glass tubing suspended between the ceiling and the floor refracts the light and invites the visitor to interact with products and technologies on an individual level.
The design also seeks to engage through its public/exterior face by embracing the New York tradition of window shopping. Reddymade has installed a series of lit window boxes on 9th Avenue, which draw the attention of observers towards the display of Google products and showcasing a special technology that allows an AR interaction with the products on the interior.
Materials used throughout have a Platinum certification and include cork furniture, flooring made from 100% recyclable material using factory waste in production with chemical-free maintenance; low-VOC material wall panels made from 100% PET plastic, containing at least 60% post-consumer content; and, carbon-neutral floor covering verified by the Interface Carbon Neutral Floors Program of Bureau Veritas.
