Authors’ Comment
The approach chosen for Diverta Craiova was strongly influenced by the challenging space. It being an extension of the Diverta brand, we decided to use the playful arrangement of the arcades and also the main decorative focal points that were already a trademark. Nonetheless, the position of the space, like a suspended island visible from any direction, challenged us to find new ways in which we could combine the stylistic part with the functional one.
The concept of arcades is being given a new role here, that of a protective layer of the space. The rhythm of the arcades establishes a visual balance and grace. Even more, due to their disposal on every side of the place, we could compare the space to a suspended bird house. On an interior level, the echo of this idea is represented by the pen house, one of the focal points. Stylistically speaking, the arcade can also be found in the pieces of furniture from the reading area, especially in the Top 10 books. Another major focal point is the area where the cash register is, it being another trademark of the design. The backlit case is highlighted by the arcade form and playfully delimited by the new graphics of brand.
The lighting of the space played along in the game of the arcades and rounded forms. The light balls attract your attention in a delicate manner and have an active role in the bird house structure, being used as lighting spots in the interior of every arcade. Added to this, the chromatics of the arrangement use an abundance of clean white that accentuates the explosion of colour coming from both the new brand graphics and from the multitude of available products. In the reading areas, pastel colours soothe the eyes and invite you to a calm, balanced place where you can browse some books.
Although it was a single project of this kind, open as an island, its positioning led us to the final solution. The minuses have been transformed into pluses and thus highlighted as unique traits. At the same time, having had the design directions from the previous project, Diverta Cluj, we could now focus on choosing a different angle in implementing the design, while also keeping the essential traits. Therefore, the focal points have been arranged in key areas, covering and balancing the whole surface of the place. In this way, the visitors are encouraged to see and interact with every part of the place.
As a result, the challenges of the space have allowed us to try a new approach. The Diverta Craiova project manages to rebuild the brand’s story, while also keeping its essence and its red thread of the arrangement. In this way, the choices and combinations that have been made have reinvented the already known style.
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