Description

Introduction:
The migration of e-commerce platforms from virtual to physical spaces has been gaining traction over recent decades. This trend marks a reversal from the early 21st century, where the emphasis was on digitizing physical spaces. This paradigm shift offers architects new and exciting opportunities to innovate.

Digikala, a titan of Iranian e-commerce with over 40 million monthly visitors and the largest Fulfillment Center in the Middle East, capable of processing 300,000 orders daily, holds a significant share of the e-commerce market in Iran. However, the overall share of e-commerce in the broader commerce sector remains small. Notably, only five percent of mobile phone purchases occur online. This discrepancy has prompted Digikala and similar platforms to explore offline ventures. Consequently, Digikala has commissioned Marz Design and Architecture Studio to conceptualize its inaugural offline store.

Vision:
The project confronted pivotal questions: How can the latent potential of online commerce be harnessed in the conception of a modern offline store? What unique value can a physical Digikala store offer that surpasses its digital counterpart? How can the physical purchasing journey be transformed into a holistic experience that redefines the Digikala brand for in-person customers?

In a contemporary brick-and-mortar store, the customer journey can be reimagined. Physical engagement and product interaction can profoundly resonate with customers. The core concept is to enhance the purchasing experience, leading to informed choices and an immersive decision-making process. This vision underscores the importance of enriching and empowering the customer experience, where "participant" replaces "customer" and "guide" supplants "salesperson."

Architectural Space:
The architectural design features a spiral configuration of product stands and elliptical spaces on varying axes, organizing the store’s spatial dynamics. By converting the floor into cohesive, spiral-shaped stands, the design creates a fluid, dynamic browsing and purchasing environment, unifying a space initially bifurcated by mechanical systems. The ceiling morphs into elliptical cylinders through seamless arches, fostering pauses and immersive moments within the shopping experience. The material and textural choices highlight the spatial duality between the ceiling and floor. The contrast between the white, grainy-textured material on the ceiling and cylinders, and the dark, smoky gray micro-cement on the stands, floor, and walls, accentuates this dichotomy.

Fabrication:
The construction process melds digital fabrication technologies with traditional methods. For instance, the plastering of cylinders utilized plastic pipes for smoothing and curved pipes as flexible trowels to achieve precise curves and smooth finishes.

Experience Portals:
Ceiling-mounted arches and cylinders delineate portal boundaries, offering spaces for reflection and engagement while defining intermediary zones. These areas, concealed from the store entrance, invite exploration and curiosity. The portals' scratched surfaces and openings underscore the geometric dynamism of cylinders and ellipses. Three distinctive portals enhance the experiential quality:

- The Sound Portal, equipped with speakers and headsets, employs Audio Reactive technology to synchronize the ambiance with the music.
- The Game Portal, dedicated to consoles and VR, adapts the spatial atmosphere and color in tune with the gaming environment via Audio Reactive technology.
- The Mobile Portal features interactive stations where visitors can compare and explore mobile phones through video projectors.

Browsing Space:
A 54-meter spiral navigates the store, facilitating movement, product display, customer service areas, and seating. This layout accommodates approximately 70 products, with ceiling lighting accentuating the floor's dynamism through deliberate scratches. Independent circular stands interspersed within the spiral, particularly a prominent central stand, provide special display areas.

Gallery:

Unlike typical digital device stores situated within specialized collections, Digikala's store is part of a public space frequented by diverse visitors, leveraging this unique context. The "gallery" concept serves as an interface, connecting the store to its broader environment. Cylindrical portals with curved arches form an intermediary space, the "gallery," linking Digikala to the Royal Shopping Center. This space, delineated by three LED walls and a central circular table, hosts digital art displays and events in collaboration with digital artists. It also serves as a versatile platform for brand launches and public information dissemination, doubling as an exclusive advertising zone.

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