Professional Lighting & Production - Summer 2018 | Page 25

screens where needed and, in some areas,
we purposely flattened the walls a bit for
larger displays,” Foussias explains. Other
backlit printed screens, while rectangu-
lar in form, do have rounded edges. “We
separated those from the wall curvature by
making them look vertically rectangular,
yet on the plan they have eased corners
throughout and match the respective tables
they are above, thus looking like a graphic
continuation of that element all the way up
to the ceiling.”
The additional illumination provided by
those screens was addressed early on in
Alula’s process, Ho-Dion adds. “We consid-
ered that heavily during the design process,
and made sure areas where they are selling
TVs weren’t over-illuminated – so again, it’s
warm, white, comfortable light.
“It’s very balanced,” she continues. “Usually
in a store the lights are all focused on the
products. They don’t really light the people
at all. Balance was a key theme that Sam-
sung had in mind – a perfect mix of modern
and organic elements.” She references the
touches of wood in various places. “Even
up in the kitchen zone, there are similar
materials but in a modern form, and that,
combined with the lighting, just gels. It’s
about the people and the space, not just
merchandise.”
One of the most striking features in the
store is a large pair of purple stretch fabric
faux pillars created by kubik, a company
with a specialty in designing and manufac-
turing solutions for corporate exhibits and
museum environments. The eye-catching
features resemble smooth tree trunks and
extend from the ground floor up through
the ceiling and onto the upper floor. They’re
immediately visible upon entering the store
and also from the outside.
“The space has a massive steel structure
that goes right through the retail space and
holds up the actual roof,” Foussias explains.
“We wanted to make sure we don’t see that
structure, so we needed to hide it. When we
started to work with the client, we talked
about the idea of a beacon – a light installa-
tion that would speak to the brand, almost
like a Nuit Blanche installation.”
It became clear, however, that the feature
would not be ready for the store’s grand
opening, which prompted Quadrangle to
come up with another interim solution until
the beacon is further developed down the
road. Given the space was designed with
a grand scale and no overly ornate details,
and that it showcases relatively small dis-
plays of product, the pillars – branded with
a floral pattern that glows softly courtesy of
white flood lights placed inside – only add
to the relaxed atmosphere meant to invite
customers to comfortably experience the
technologies on display. ments, the end result was a highly collabo-
rative process involving constant verbal and
visual communication between the various
collaborators. “We designed the interiors
and then Rebecca designed the lighting
and in response we adjusted the design of
the interior,” Foussias shares. “Rebecca was
invaluable. She figured out how to put it all
together, make it work, and have the effect
that we wanted.”
Other firms involved in the project
included Structure Corp, RJC Engineers,
and The HIDI Group’s mechanical/electrical
engineering division.
“Having the mechanical and electrical
engineers in house was a huge help on
this project because, as you can see, this is
not a standard store. Everything is custom,”
Ho-Dion says. To run the lighting and other
infrastructure they needed to, particularly in
the ceilings, coordination was essential. “It
was constant,” she adds. “If I had a question
or needed to coordinate something, the
engineers were right there, which played
into the whole integration and collabora-
tion theme throughout the project, both
in the way we work and the final product.
When we went back to the site and did our
end-of-project fine-tuning, it matched our
design perfectly. The end result turned out
pretty much exactly as we had imagined.”
A product of the seamless integration of
systems, lighting fixtures, and design ele- Kevin Young is a Toronto-based musician
and freelance writer.
Summer 2018 | 25