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durh, I didn't read your profile, email pending.

if the plywood ribs are done using CNC, why are they so repetitive? couldn't there have been more differentiation and/or more exciting spaces created by the ribs? was is the arguement for the way they were designed?

also, the potential introduction of poche spaces in section created by the ribs when they come off the wall towards the floor and ceiling seems to have not been explored fully.

What about the people inside? What interior is ever going to make you forget them? Cinder block and contac paper is good enough for that clientele.

Inspiration (?):Prada Flagship Store, NYC Rem Koolhaas; OMA 2001

Execution: Blandly simplistic yet over the top; "unfinished look" of which will never (...?) be en vougue, the repition hear appears redundant

Joe Soda -
i'm not sure where you get off with such a comment...i'm sure Hiroki from Visvim would strongly disagree with your comments...you must shop at the Gap.

despite my whole dislike for the whole sneakerhead thing (sorry Prolly), I must say that regardless of any strong critique of the space its nice to have some 'design' in Boston/Cambridge.

i do wish the ribs were less uniform and that there was more movement to the space which seems like it would've been possible with a non linear/angled space.

i don't see the inspiration from prada in nyc at all...there's zip/zilch/nada of that store in this..are we saying that you aren't allowed to leave spaces looking unfinished cause rem left some drywall 'unfinished' in one of the most ridiculously expensive renovations of a store?

now if you were saying something like shop's ps1 design or the like i may agree. or something from LTL (coffee shop and hot dog place come to mind)

anyway..i think some of the details are nice...i wish it were a bit 'looser' but i'm glad that the tannery and cc get to move above ground and into bigger/nicer digs.

p.soldier. i think your website is beautiful..really like the photography and the cleanliness of it.

not sure why this is inspiring negativity (Joe Soda and ifYouCanSeeme). odb's comment is fine...critical but actually asking valid questions and making reasonable statements of opinion. i'm curious to hear you address those questions, plastic_soldier...

i think this is a totally decent retail space that is far more intriguing than 90% of what you're likely to walk by on a given shopping street. in that sense i bet it will be effective as an attractor.

i agree with lars - i like the website quite a bit.

pixel..
if you're a new bostonite you're moving on the influx of design into boston...in the past ten years they've got buildings from holl, gehry, machado silvetti, d,s+r, scogin and elam and other stuff that i can't think of atm. can't be enough good design in boston for my tastes though..i'm just glad the city has finally woken up to good design.

it also seems to be waking up with good young talent that's staying instead of leaving for a change. i feel like i've heard of three or four good youg firms starting to get recognition from there...which wasn't happening a few years ago.

I've been here for a couple years as a resident, and then 4 years as a student and have seen the tides start to shift. My problem with design in Boston is that its all or nothing: the large majority of the notable work is on a larger scale, and for a city like Boston that just doesn't make sense to me.

And I agree that the retention of talent is having a big influence on things, lets just hope that it stays that way.

also, there is very little exploration in digi/fab in Boston outside of academia, which is a huge pet peeve for me.

i hear you and totally agree. there really isn't any of that and i does seem to be huge projects...but hopefully the small stuff follows.
but i hope for your sake (and mine if i ever move back) that things keep going. i'd love to open up a digishop up there some day...if i can't make it happen in nyc...seems as though there's a lot more space and opportunity up there.

anyway i understand your frustration..i had it for years which is why i moved...but hopefully things are changing.

come back to Boston and lets do it (the digifab, not the other it).

After visiting the website and seeing the floor plan, I like the apparent repetition in the ribs. It seems to be creating a forced perspective elongation of the space, especially combined with the stepping of the right wall. If I weren't so far away I'd come check it out.

I'll be across the street from it early next week, I'll try to make a point to remember my camera - any picture requests?

I like the Korean BBQ aspect.

i don't mind the repetition of the ribs..just wish there was some sort of shaping of the space...probably a question of costs though that they're so uniform more than anything else though i guess.

pixel..i'll take you up on the shop idea at some point most likely...i'm gettin tired of not working with my hands to create stuff...and i have friends that work small construction up there..all of them former architects...and they may be interested in doing some stuff like that in the shop that they have. wouldn't hurt to ask.

“i don't see the inspiration from prada in nyc at all...there's zip/zilch/nada of that store in this..are we saying that you aren't allowed to leave spaces looking unfinished cause rem left some drywall 'unfinished' in one of the most ridiculously expensive renovations of a store?”


Obviously, there is at least a marginal recollection (“Inspiration (?)”) of Rem Prada NYC in this work, even if you “have to think about it” and it doesn’t jump out at you; just in the basic visual sense and the basic time sense considering only a few contemporaries (can anyone else think of more) have been so bold (<kudos) as to go that route…

And as a designer (shouldn’t we all own the term, even before scholarship or employment?), of course I’m not saying a designer can’t leave a space feeling unfinished (if everything looked just so, and only just so were accepted who’d be an architect? A profitable architect or any type of designer?!?), hence my wording “"unfinished look" of which will never (...?) be en vogue” , admitting there is and will be a ‘vogue’ to an unfinished look!…

And nor would I say design can only be erected/appreciated through the precedent of another designer’s work, that would be the denial and rejected of innovation/design!!!…

Bottom line, I hear you Larslarson:

Obd’s post was more easily accepted but what’s wrong with a little raw critique?

For the clientele (to set a mood/tone of the store), and general spice of things, the design “works” but I agree with most of the thread in that the development (maybe “unfinished” was hasty wording) of the design is lacking; if I was in the area I’d walk in, appreciate it but still, as we all do, critique it, but, yae or nae? Nae.



Picture Request #1

I don't purchase my skateboards at a "lifestyle shop", but besides that it is more interesting than a lot of similar shops that sell the same god awful shoes.

I like it. But you should have said "what do you think of MY new design?"

It's cool.

i might have to swing by cambridge this week.

pixel did you get my msg?

Hmmm,

I get you again Larslarson,

Garpike maybe it should have read "what do you think of MY new design?" and maybe I'll more deeply look into who's posted designs are theirs vs others and just plain open for disscussion

That being said, I still do beleive in occassional raw critique but in a forum such as this (if I understand the intention of archinect correctly) I do also beleive in consideration

Congrats, Plastic Soldier

cadalyst: nothings come through, this happened last week with another message coming my way via the forum, you may want to give it another shot.

I would have like to see the merchandising systems and cashwrap more integrated into the cnc work. That said, I dig it. The axial view must be great in person.

Now that I've visited the profile and website...


I again agree with what someone said earlier, that once they got to the website, they liked the design much better but if I can add to my earlier posts,

The design works something like iridescent color in the way that it can be viewed and offers movement, this idea of movement and multi perceptions is art within itself but it does give the viewer more when walking forward/linear toward the back of the store (or sideways, if any one does that) but when standing in a 'East/West'/'West/East' position, the view appears the most under-developed
UNLESS
The idea is that when in standing in those positions the shopper is to be looking at the shoes, not the ribs or if the reflectors are to remove focus from the ribs and back onto the shoes. Those ideas I can dig more.

There also is another idea of the juxtaposition of interest/”blandness”, which in my opinion, may also work out to be artful at times

Reading the profile and website has brought to light a new dimension, this space’s critique must be dimensional (in my opinion) as is the experience of the design is dimensional; there is 1. a consumer point of view (what they see, how the store functions in design and during navigation) and 2. a designer’s point of view looking at sheer design
(sometimes there is no need for such separation (in my opinion) but often, there is)



However, now that I am completely informed (Larslarson, Garpike) I am eager for the explanation of the concept and goal behind this design!

Congtas again, Plastic Soldier

Not a big fan of it...seems a bit too raw for my taste.

I agree with earlier posts and add that just because something is CNC fabricated does not mean that it is good. The value of digital fabrication isn't in the process, but still in the product. In my honest opinion, this is rather ordinary for the tool used. This could have been created with a jig saw for all I care, the space is still the space and it is a bit of a one liner.

I think if you are going to push this it into the realm of architecture it needs more...needs more attention to detail (officeda comes to mind)..needs to push the envelope that you are just barely dipping into....and most of all, it needs to be spatially/programatically interesting and serve as something new for retail spaces (asymptote comes to mind for the formal...OMA for the experiential).

I don't buy the 'good for boston' argument. There is more than enough good design going on in the boston area..we don't need to add an asterisk to every half good design because it is in good ol' new england. Plastic Soldier, I think it is a good store, and interesting. It is better than the standard Gap, but I don't put it in the realm of architecture. Just an opinion.

dierxap: I used design specifically as I don't consider that project architecture and was viewing it as such.

YIKES. all of the comments/critiques/suggestions/etc are much, much appreciated. I think the best way to shed light into the design process is to post this quick breakdown of the space, so here goes:

The process of skateboard construction is the conceptual springboard for the new Concepts shop. To simplify the complex relationship between Concepts and the conditions in which it is used, analogies can be made between the store and lamination process of wood layering, gluing and heat-vacuum curing skate decks:

- The interior is a system of plywood ribs represents the individual wood layers of a skateboard deck. On a smaller scale, each laminated rib is a direct correlation to a finished deck.

- The process of adhering wood layers together with resin-glue is represented through the people of the extremely diverse snow/skate/street culture. As corny as it may sound, The people are the glue that help hold this culture/space/lifestyle together.

- When the interior rib system and the people of the culture collide, the lamination relationship occurs and a lasting bond between both store, client and culture is created.

- The use of Eco-Friendly fireplaces in the center of the shop is analogous to the heat curing process of skate decks.

- The selective product within the store acts as the vacuum for the clientele, pulling in individuals from a wide variety of perspectives with a certain level of intelligence and respect for design.

*FYI: Rem had no say in any of this project!
**The shop is less a skate shop at this point, more moving into a street-fashion forward boutique, but the roots are all skate culture

Also - to get a better idea of the minds behind this project - see our site, we are far from an architecture-specific design firm: www.soldierdesign.com

"I think the best way to shed light into the design process is to post this quick breakdown of the space, so here goes..."

but what about the space? was there a driving spacial idea or was it purely a graphic/surface/material response - I think thats what everyone is getting at.

I agree with most of the other posts.


I am not sure why you would cnc so many identical boards?

I start to have a problem with projects that go over the top in complexity to achieve a very basic, 2D/graphic product.

Overall, I think it is a nice project. It does look like projects from 10 years ago, when cnc'ing was hyped up as being cost effective, though.

I agree with PixelWhore too - this seems like a surface project that does not engage he user. What about a few of the ribs creating new spaces?

When I looked at this I thought immediately of the Hungarian Architect Imer Makovecz's Chapel project

the repetition doesn't bother me so much, as i see what you were trying to do with them visually, conceptually, and somewhat functionally;
having said that, the finish (or lack there of) selected bothers me...but more importantly, it doesn't help your skateboard representation concept...maybe a graphic laid over every 7th sheet...(skateboards are 7 ply right)...have clients do their boards from time to time...

-imho, the look of plywood has some "amateur" connotations, as well...but that's a personal thing -

"*FYI: Rem had no say in any of this project!"

Geesh, I don't know if that was light hearted or not, but in case I did not communicate my thoughts well throughout all 3, or so, of my posts here, let me say this

Snook Dudue
02/06/08 7:59

That post did exactally what I did, only I did it in text and Snnok did it visually; Rem Prada NYC 2001 was my immediate thought. That's all.

To move on,

I can appreciate the design better getting now having seen the webite AND knowing the concept behind it.
...I, like others, have personal prefferences that turned me off from the execution of the concept, but I won't post those... they're completely subjective and maybe even anal.

haha - yes, it was very light hearted!

oh, haha, then!

I'll agree with janosh - I like the feel, but I wish there was more program involved in the CNC ribs. I enjoy when it comes up in the center counter, and for the bench, but the merchandising is sort of "tacked on", and is quite distracting. would have been cool to space the ribs to fit a module of a size 10 shoe (plus some breathing room to the sides) and fit all the merch between the ribs (and thicken the ribs if needed structurally)

I also find the lighting a bit distracting, esp. for retail, but maybe it is just the photos. Seems like the ribs may be blocking/diffusing the track lights, as you can see from looking at the ceiling. I would actually consider dropping those down even if it messes with the concept so they can really highlight their merch!

Actually Imer's chapel is associated with the story of Jonah and the Whale..found in the Bible...I think it is an amazing building built on a merchandizing in a different sort of way. It grasps the concept of being inside a whale than being a skate board...but what the hey!

I agree with the majority of the things already stated.

My main observation:

I really wish that the ribs integrated more of the display for the merchandise. I would like to see the glass shelves replaced with a more undulating rib system which would provide a display shelf.

Knock -

I will have some final final photos up on Archinect tomorrow - we had to wait on a delay with the actual lighting fixtures! so great call!
we have nice spotlights that highlight merchandise, while import flourescent tubes suspend from the ribs by about 6"...changes the space drastically.

Honestly, i too agree some things were a little different with the rib system - more integration with the shelving systems would be great to see - sometimes client demands rule supreme....

Thanks all!

guerrilla photo session from about 30 minutes ago can be found on my flickr. didn't have much time so my apologies on the quality. if out-of-towners want more shots of specifics let me know what you're looking for.

and I don't think the kid working there believed me when I said I was an architect/designer.

and whose bike would that be locked up outside there on Brattle?

much better with the catty-whompus fluorescent tubes in there.

^ actually not mine, I figured it belonged to someone that worked at Concepts.

It's good to see something like this happening in Boston.

We have a joke around the office whenever we try to do something remotely modern, "we're trying to bring Boston into the 20th century!"

Where do you work toasteroven?

Hmmm... on second look, I think the execution isn't that great - but I enjoy seeing something a little more home-spun/tectonic/interesting happening in the area. New England is a tough place to do this kind of work...

dierxap - i'll send you a PM...