Retail Design Institute unveils Store of the Year

5/25/2018
An Australian specialty skincare retailer took home the top honor in the Retail Design Institute’s annual international design competition.

iKOU, in Sydney’s historic Queen Victoria Building, was named 2017 Store of the Year at the Institute’s 47th Awards Gala & Fundraiser in New York City.

Designed by Pinto Tuncer, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia, iKOU, is a holistic, ethically-sourced skincare brand. The design team sought to translate iKOU’s philosophy — “encouraging mindful and relaxing moments inspired by nature” – into a clinical-yet-inviting haven. The store was selected from among the more than 100 projects entered in the Institute’s annual competition. It further competed against nearly three-dozen fellow finalists before emerging as Store of the Year.

In addition to iKOU, he Institute’s Class of 2017 honorees included:

  • Air Jordan, Toronto, Design: Ædifica and SET Creative (Innovation Award for Branding);

  • Arçelik, Istanbul, Design: FITCH (Innovation Award for Digital Integration);

  • Chicago Cubs Store, Chicago, Design: Chipman Design Architecture;

  • Coffee for Sasquatch, Los Angeles, Design: Dan Brunn Architecture;

  • Etude House, Seoul, Design: Dalziel & Pow;

  • Flight Club, Los Angeles, Design: Slade Architecture (Innovation Award for Concept);

  • Galeries Lafayette, Istanbul, Design: Plajer & Franz (Innovation Award for Lighting);

  • Gnome Grown, Oregon City, Design: The High Road Design Studio;

  • Handsome Cycles, Minneapolis, Design: Knock Inc.;

  • Hershey’s Chocolate World, New York City, Design: FRCH Design Worldwide;

  • Holler & Dash Biscuit House, Atlanta, Design: FRCH Design Worldwide;

  • Huawei, Milan, Design: Alessandro Luciani Designer;

  • Landmark, Alabang, Design: Hugh A. Boyd Architects (Innovation Award for Store Planning);

  • Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar, Boston, Design: Bergmeyer Associates and COJE Management Group;

  • Louis Vuitton, Mexico City Design: Materia (Innovation for Storefront | Façade);

  • M.A.R.S., Santa Monica, Design: Giorgio Borruso Design;

  • MA Chinese Cuisine, St. Catharines, Design: dialogue 38;

  • Marie’s Baby Circle, Hanam-si, Design: Dalziel & Pow (Innovation Award for Visual Merchandising);

  • Repsol, Madrid, Design: IRID Design International (Innovation Award for Sustainability);

  • Saks Fifth Avenue 10022-SHOE, Greenwich, Design: FRCH Design Worldwide;

  • Savannah Bee Company, Atlanta, Design: Bergmeyer Associates;

  • Sephora Studio, Boston, Design: Sephora;

  • Solestice, New York City, Design: Christian Lahoude Studio;

  • Sonos, London, Design: Bergmeyer Associates;

  • Studio Xfinity, Washington, DC, Design: Gensler;

  • Suncorp, Sydney, Design: Geyer;

  • Target, Minneapolis, Design: Target; Tsujiri, Mississauga; Design: dialogue 38;

  • V&A Shop, London, Design: Mark Pinney Associates (Innovation for Fixturing);

  • Volkswagen, Birmingham, Design: Dalziel & Pow;

  • Whole Foods Market, Sudbury, Design: Jacobs and StudioGee (Innovation Award for Shell Architecture); and

  • WithMe, Santa Monica, Design: Giorgio Borruso Design (Innovation Award for Fixturing).


In addition to the store awards, Brian Shafley, CEO of Chute Gerdeman, Columbus, Ohio, was inducted into the Retail Design Legion of Honor, for his nearly 30 years in the design profession.
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