Katelijn Quartier
In Diepenbeek, just outside of Hasselt, Katelijn Quartier is researching the future of our shopping experiences. Within the Architecture and Art Faculty, she leads the retail design specialisation as well as the Retail Design Lab knowledge centre. The most recent research from the new generation of retail designers has shown itself to be striking. They looked at how shop interiors could be more sustainable, but at the same time at how they could offer the consumer a true experience. “There are often alternatives for traditional materials that give the same sensory experience, but that have a far smaller impact on the environment”, she maintains.
A Step Ahead
But does e-commerce not mean the end of bricks-and-mortar shops? Not at all, Quartier thinks, because good design will be the secret weapon for physical shops. "A great number of shops have to distinguish themselves in the area of experience, in the broadest sense of the word”, says Quartier. “Otherwise I will just order my product online and it gets delivered to my home. You have to provide added value for going to the shop. That's why I believe that experience can make the difference. Online will grow, and physical shops will remain, but as a retailer you do have to make a choice about where and how you want to be present in the market."
And it is there that interior architecture and design offer added value. A good choice of interior design, materials, lighting and even scent and music puts physical shops a step ahead of online retailers. Quartier sums up her work "We research how consumers sense spaces, and with that research we want to develop shops that are perfectly adjusted for them.”
Neutral Space
The research is ongoing, so final results are not yet available. But what is already striking is the impact of transport on the sustainability of the materials. "Transport does indeed weigh heavily", says Quartier. "That is not illogical, of course. But this element is not always taken into consideration. Naturally, one tile already weighs quite a bit, and if you have to move a volume of them, the impact of that is high. When you work with local businesses you don't have that problem. However, retailers often make decisions at the last minute, which means that lots have to be purchased from countries with large inventories, or high-speed production, like China. That weighs heavily in terms of environmental cost."
Retail Lab that was built in Diepenbeek is central to all of the research. It is a neutral space with three rooms built from wooden walls. It looks anything but impressive, and that is also its aim. "It is a multifunctional space that can take on different appearances. At the moment it is more of a neutral setting, where we can place different samples of materials on tables. Actually, there is not a great deal to see", laughs Quartier.
Experiments
But in that unassuming space they do all kinds of experiments to root interior architecture in research. For their project on sustainability, they filled the tables in the space with samples of materials. People had to go in and analyse three samples and associate them with a series of words. At the same time, they adhere to strict preconditions in order to have the experiment proceed as impartially as is possible. “People may not, for example, pick up the samples because their weight can give a lot away”, says Quartier.
Today, the lab is central aspect of the research that UHasselt does. Another researcher rebuilt the lab recently into an experimental kitchen and cookware shop, and it has even been the site for research into the impact of scent on shopping behaviour. Nevertheless, it was Quartier herself who initiated its being built. "My doctoral thesis was on the experience of light", she reflects. "At the time there was no such lab. But I believed that such a place would offer added value. So, after a lot of back and forth, we finally built it. After my doctorate there was a lot of interest from companies wanting to use the lab, but because of the crisis in 2008, much of that interest ebbed away. Thereafter it was, as intended, taken up by students and doctoral researchers, and today it is a core aspect of our research here."
Reality Check
The research into sustainability is made possible through the support of the Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO), but it is also supported by co-financing and private-sector partners, including the tile sector and a few retailers and interior architects. In total, there are 13 companies and organisations in the project, who, aside from contributing funds, also provide feedback and information from professional practice. And this interaction is already appearing to be crucial for the project. “We were simply in need of specific knowledge. Consider life-cycle analysis around sustainability”, says Quartier, “for that we brought in knowledge through our collaboration with the WTCB and Wood.be. And we have come to know how retailers think by sitting around the table with businesses. For example, as a designer, I am not a fan of standard tiles in a shop, but for retailers this is a daily reality. And that reality check is absolutely necessary." With this kind of practically-focussed research the role of UHasselt as a knowledge institute is growing. They also hope to stimulate the sector, and they even provide consultancy services. "We are already having to turn away projects”, says Quartier. “But we would like to remain a partner to architects, interior architects and research agencies. These days, we are being seen too much as competition, which is absolutely not the intention. We want to support architects and retail designers in their processes, for example when they need specialised knowledge. When a company or retailer contacts us, we only do the preparatory phase, thereafter the designer must do the actual work.”
New Generation
Aside from consultancy work, they are also diligently working to educate a new generation of architects and designers. At UHasselt students can do both bachelors and masters degrees specialising in retail design, and the school organises professional masterclasses in the field. Students are also engaged in the research into sustainability. "Students are often test subjects in the experiments", explains Quartier. "But on the other hand, we also involve them in an active role. Within the sustainability research, they did a side project on the colour of wood and its effects. They were allowed to develop that themselves.” Those students are being prepared to shape the fast-evolving field of retail design. "Details will become ever more important”, predicts Quartier. “We are seeing a real shift. Ten years ago, experience was centred on the experience around saturating the consumer and stimulating all of the senses. Now we're observing a movement to a relevant, detailed experience. And that doesn't have to cost a lot of money, you just have to put elements together in a clever way and tell a story.” Shop interiors and their experiences are thus far from over, with or without e-commerce.
This article comes from our magazine Nook. AiNB members receive this magazine for free. Non-members can order a subscription to Nook here.