June 13, 2019

Text: Jesse Dorris

Ministry of Design Creates User Experiences at Durasport Flagship in Singapore

Between the Climb zone’s circular display cages is Singapore’s first “Freedom Climber,” a non-motorized climbing wall with a rotating surface upon which customers can test shoes. Photography by CI&A Photography/Edward Hendricks.

“How do we make a physical store relevant?”

That’s what the team at Ministry of Design asked themselves, says founder and director Colin Seah, when they got the chance to design a Durasport sporting goods flagship in a new mall in Safdie Architect’s Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore. Their answer? Make the space an experience, make furnishings as high-performance as the products themselves, and—like any good athlete—ensure flexibility.

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LED tube lights by Unitrio Trading form an “X” logo across the entrance’s stainless-steel gates, featuring a hairline finish, by Sin Leong Ann Metal Supplies. Photography CI&A Photography/Edward Hendricks. 

The result is as much an R&D lab as a shop, with 2,000 square feet divided into four zones of activities incorporating state-of-the-art products (co-curated by Ministry of Design) and futuristic displays that include virtual fitting rooms, foot-powered climbing walls, and bicycles ready for a test-pedal. 

A dynamic display at the entrance sets a mannequin within a ring of steel and LED tubes. Photography by CI&A Photography/Edward Hendricks. 

“The custom display system required lots of design and prototyping,” Seah says, “but it enables a wide range of products which are different in shape, size, and display requirements. Also, each time Durasport brings in new products, they are able to ‘clip in and clip out’ to configure a new shelving display.” All that, plus new visual identities such as mylar shopping bags, silver foil name cards, and acrylic display tags create a true exercise in retail relevancy.

 Keep scrolling for additional project images >

The Cycling zone includes bikes, helmets, and shoes displayed within a faceted corner of stainless steel. Photography by CI&A Photography/Edward Hendricks.
Custom acrylic LED signage announces the Arctic zone, featuring a “Magic Mirror” that allows customers to photograph themselves in simulations of the skiwear. Photography by CI&A Photography/Edward Hendricks.
In the Trizone area, as throughout the Durasport store, ceilings are painted in Nippon Paint‘s Stiletto Grey and floors are Unitrio Trading’s Artigo high-performance anti-slip rubber. Photography by CI&A Photography/Edward Hendricks.

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