As part of a major refresh of the Up There brand, Kennedy Nolan was asked to design a new flagship store on Flinders Lane – a street synonymous with innovation, design, hospitality and fashion.
The brand refresh provided an immediate inspiration, providing a playful palette of saturated colour. We were inspired by the distinctive space: partially subterranean, and is characterised by a deep plan opening up at its farthest point to the atmospheric urban gloom of Sargood Lane.
Alongside our Clients, we set out a brief for a store interior which was to be theatrical, cinematic, abstract, curated, expansive and memorable. We proposed an intense green ground plane. Green is a key colour for Up There but is also a colour we feel is oddly grounding – resonant of a grassy field. The ceilings are an inky green, helping to de-limit the edges by plunging them into shadow. Merchandise is organised into discrete zones, a ‘concession’ approach which reflects some key characteristics of the brand – curating and displaying stock in themes, providing scope for collaborations, events and exclusive releases.
Up There want to be a good host to their customers – as such, there is an emphasis on places to hang out in the store. While all spaces are social, at the very end of the store there is a large table and generous banquettes; a spot to try on some trainers, have a coffee from the in-house café or patiently lie on the banquette willing your friend to make a decision, or regret the night before.
Upon entering, the customer is greeted by a flight of three steps with a tactile surface, signalling the entry into another state by altering the sensation underfoot, and delivering them to the soft floor plane of carpet. From there, they move through a gathering of suspended bust forms and emerge into the store proper.