The evolution of retail design warrants a study of architectural practice in the digital realm. While physical commercial spaces have been the conventional center of shopping experiences, the emergent frontier of the metaverse—an interconnected network of virtual 3D environments—indicates an important shift in brand-consumer interactions. For architects, this liminal space presents a unique canvas, free from the material constraints that have traditionally molded design ideations.The metaverse is a new terrain where the architecture of imagination may be fully realized, inviting a reconceptualization of retail design possibilities. For decades, retail design has focused on crafting experiential spaces that draw in consumers, optimize product presentation, and reinforce brand identities. From the carefully composed displays of upscale boutiques to the efficient layouts of supermarkets, every element of the physical retail environment is purposefully designed to influence shoppers' experiences and behaviors. The retail landscape has witnessed a shift with the disruptive advent of e-commerce, leading to the gradual erosion of traditional brick-and-mortar establishments. The commodification of convenience by online marketplaces has captivated consumer attention, drawing them away from physical retail spaces. While the digital realm's dominance is an indisputable reality, it often obscures the sentimental bonds and serendipitous sense of exploration enabled by physically engaging retail outlets. Related ArticleTech, Big Data, and the Future of Retail DesignWithin this digital realm, the boundaries between the tangible and intangible become fluid, giving rise to immersive environments that challenge conventional notions of retail engagement. The metaverse presents an opportunity to reimagine the very essence of the consumer journey, blending the tactile allure of physical spaces with the boundless possibilities of virtual realms. The metaverse brings an unexplored technosocial phenomenon that may catalyze the revival of traditional physical retail infrastructures.By holding space for a confluence of virtual and material touchpoints, this medium holds the potential to reconstruct consumer experiences.  Save this picture!Retail Design in the Metaverse: A New Venture for Architects - Image 5 of 8Mango Teen Store / Masquespacio. Image © Luis Beltran. Image Courtesy of TheArsenaleSamsung has taken a pioneering step by unveiling a virtual replica of their flagship 837 store in New York City within the Decentraland metaverse platform. This initiative underscores how major tech giants are swiftly embracing the metaverse as an innovative commercial frontier. Samsung's virtual 837X store offers an immersive "experiential playground" with multi-zoned attractions and rewards users with exclusive NFTs for completing quests, setting an example for other businesses to follow. The store's engaging features, such as a resident virtual DJ and raffles for branded avatar accessories, highlight the advantages established brands enjoy in leveraging their resources and brand equity to build a compelling presence within metaverse environments. As an early mover, Samsung's 837X demonstrates how retailers can creatively translate their physical experiences into captivating digital realms.  It's not just technology firms embracing virtual retail spaces, but also iconic fashion brands renowned for their cutting-edge sensibilities. Balenciaga, for instance, made a bold statement by unveiling its collection through an immersive video game experience. Available to fashion enthusiasts at videogame.balenciaga.com, users embark on a journey through a dystopian Balenciaga store setting, ascending to increasingly lush and utopian virtual environments, culminating in a calming breathing exercise. The brand has established a dedicated virtual division "entirely focused on developing products, projects, and experiences designed specifically for the metaverse," signaling a broader strategic shift within the fashion industry towards embracing these emerging digital spaces. provenance

HONOR × Porsche Design聯名系列登場，科技和汽車愛好者們一定會驚艷！先前Porsche Design與科技潮流引領品牌HONOR合作，推出厚度低於1cm的Porsche Design × HONOR Magic V2摺疊屏智能手機，近期雙方更再度合作，推出別注旗艦摺疊屏手機HONOR Magic V2 RSR，時尚輕巧的設計標誌著奢華生活與科技的一大進展，絕對會成為許多摺疊屏智能手機愛好者的新選擇！ 隨著智能手機的製造科技越來越先進，手機尺寸也越做越薄，HONOR攜手Porsche Design設計出了市場上最薄的內向折疊手機，展示了技術藝術。設計直接從賽道中汲取靈感，模仿Porsche保時捷傳奇車款911的流線型線條及其辨識度極高的輪廓。  流線型的外型貼合手掌人體工學，確保了舒適的握持感，再現了在賽車道上高速行駛的跑車的快感。溜背舷窗則打破以往手機以圓形、方形為主的設計，仿造Porsche車款後車窗的溜背弧形造型，以嶄新姿態出現眾人眼前。 手機外觀採用獨特的Porsche車款瑪瑙灰，由Porsche Design德國斯圖加特原廠大師負責調色，鏡頭周圍的鈦金屬圈採用限量跑車款的金屬蝕刻工藝製作，並採用以手工填墨方式，將低調奢華融入。Photo from Porsche Design 玻璃纖維打造5D一體成型的機殼Photo from Porsche Design 這款超薄設備僅重僅234 g，折疊後厚度僅9.9 mmPhoto from Porsche Design 這款超薄設備僅重僅234 g，折疊後厚度僅9.9 mm，材料受到Porsche千萬級別的跑車款918 Spyder上A柱加固填充物料「羽纖」的啟發，玻璃纖維打造5D一體成型的機殼，輕薄但強度絲毫不受影響，具有出色的抗日常磨損能力，更具有Porsche獨具個性的質感。 源自超跑引擎極耐磨螢幕 源自超跑引擎極耐磨螢幕Photo from Porsche Design 手機螢幕上，採用由HONOR研發，突破性的金剛巨犀玻璃，以用於超跑引擎上具耐磨性的物料的氮化矽進行鍍晶生成，確保手機耐用性和防刮性能，並提供最強的防護性，展現Honor對於手機保護的重視以及及取自Porsche Design工藝美學。成為捕捉動態物體的絕佳之選Photo from Porsche Design 可折疊OLED LTPO顯示器支援10.7億種顏色，為用戶創造身臨其境的視覺體驗，三重後置相機系統，配備50MP主相機和多種攝影模式，使其成為捕捉動態物體的絕佳之選，感興趣的讀者不妨親自選購。  文章出處

Image Credits: Intuitive MachinesNASA has given three space companies the chance to design the next generation moon buggy — but only one design will go to space. Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab are developing rugged vehicles intended for astronauts to drive around on the lunar surface, from which NASA may choose as early as next year.The three teams will now enter into a 12-month “feasibility phase” that will culminate in a preliminary design review. At that point, there will be a subsequent competitive request for proposals, where the trio of companies will compete for a demonstration task order, NASA officials explained during a press conference on Wednesday.At that point, a final awardee will be selected. The chosen company will be responsible not only for designing the LTV but for launching and landing it on the moon prior to the Artemis V mission, which is currently slated for no earlier than 2029.NASA declined to specify the dollar value of the awards, though Intuitive Machines said in a statement that it was awarded a $30 million contract. The total potential value of all the task orders over the next 13 years is $4.6 billion.The three teams are also keeping specifications, like range or battery technology, close to the chest, though NASA specified that the rover would have to have an incredible 10-year lifespan and be capable of carrying two suited astronauts. Intuitive Machines is leading a team that includes AVL, Boeing, Michelin, and Northrop Grumman; Lunar Outpost is leading the “Lunar Dawn” team that includes Lockheed Martin, General Motors, Goodyear and MDA Space; and Astrolab is joined by Axiom Space and Odyssey Space Research.The awards are the latest to be doled out to private industry under the agency’s ambitious Artemis program, which seeks to eventually establish a permanent human presence on the moon. But in order to truly explore the surface, astronauts will need something to get around — and it will need to withstand the harsh environment of the lunar south pole, which is known for temperature extreme swings and very long nights.“Think of it as a hybrid of the Apollo-style lunar rover that was driven by our astronauts and an uncrewed mobile science platform,” NASA’s Johnson Space Center director Vanessa Wyche said.With the vehicles, astronauts will be able to transport scientific equipment, collect samples from the surface and travel farther than on foot, Jacob Bleacher, NASA’s chief exploration scientist, said. When astronauts are not on the moon, humans will be able to remotely operate the LTV, so it can continue to explore the region and even meet new astronaut crews when they arrive on the surface.“With NASA’s Artemis campaign, we are building up the capabilities needed to establish a longer-term exploration and presence of the moon,” he said. “Where it will go, there are no roads. Its mobility will fundamentally change our view of the moon.”provenance

Apple’s budget iPhone is due for a refresh and for the first time ever, it’s getting a major design upgrade that does away with the TouchID, finally putting the technology in the rear mirror for the smartphone industry. Leaked images from China (you can see them at the end of this article) show dummy units of an upcoming iPhone SE with a refreshed design that now features the notch and FaceID system, along with a flat body reminiscent of the iPhone 12 and 13. Chances are that Apple’s probably repurposing older iPhone 12 chassis for the new 4th Gen SE that’s rumored to drop along with Apple’s iPad refresh next month.With four straight years of the iPhone SE having the same design (both Gen 2 and Gen 3 models used the same chassis as the iPhone 8), the iPhone SE 4 finally gets the upgrade we’ve all been waiting for. Now that the notch is pretty much history for the flagship iPhone, which has adopted the dynamic island, it makes sense for the technology to finally arrive to Apple’s budget line. The new SE 4, as indicated by pretty credible leaks at this point, uses the same body as the one used in the iPhone 12 and 13, sporting what leakers indicate is a 6.1-inch display on the front, a single-lens camera on the back, a FaceID system for facial unlocking, and a mute slider as opposed to the Action Button which Apple unveiled with the iPhone 15.Notably the new iPhone SE 4 has a pretty large camera, which may make up for past models not having great photography capabilities. While details are scarce on what this new camera will be, the big sensor is probably rumored to be an all-purpose lens WITHOUT ultrawide capabilities to keep costs lower.The above renders, created by Yanko Design, are based on leaked images from a Weibo user, showing case designs for the upcoming iPhone. The dummy model, which clearly reads iPhone SE 4, comes with a notched display, a single-shooter primary lens along with a flash, a flat aluminum frame, and all indications that the mute slider will still remain as a detail in the SE 4. As far as colors go, there’s really no concrete indication that Apple plans on adding any new colors to the range. The existing SE range has only 3 colors – black, white, and Project RED. For visualization purposes (and also because of an initial render found on the internet), we’ve also added a Forest Green color variant.provenance

位於高雄港灣的「大港倉二期開發案」，傳出重大招商捷報，來自台中的知名旅宿「嬉開發」團隊，申請開發高雄港蓬萊商港區2座倉庫，經營「嬉港倉」設計旅店，並且大手筆力邀日本建築大師隈研吾，親自操刀全台唯一「隈研吾設計的倉庫旅店」，打造高雄水岸新地標。高雄港區土地開發公司董事長沈妙姿3日證實指出，在台中經營「植光花園旅店」和「嬉行旅」的「嬉開發」團隊，已經向土開公司申請承租高雄港蓬萊商港區「倉4」、「倉6」的2座倉庫、以及緊鄰的20、21地號土地，總共1,424坪基地，規劃經營特色旅店。最難能可貴的是，「嬉開發」團隊董事長王心虹為了打造這座位於高雄港灣的特色旅店，特別邀請隈研吾建築都市設計事務所，進行旅店的設計，並獲日本建築大師隈研吾允諾，親自操刀，未來，高雄港將擁有全台唯一「隈研吾設計的倉庫旅店」。隈研吾是日本國寶級建築師，善於將工業素材與自然木材巧妙結合，作品散發日式和風與東方禪意，被業界稱為「負建築」，在國際上享有高度的評價。知名的代表作品包括位於日本東京的臺灣鳳梨酥專賣店「微熱山丘 南青山店」、「淺草文化觀光中心」，以及號稱台灣絕美星巴克的花蓮洄瀾門市等。為了此一倉庫旅店，日本國寶級的建築師隈研吾，特地在今年7月17日率領他的團隊，實地勘察大港倉二期開發案基地，並與高雄市政府秘書長郭添貴、臺灣港務公司高雄港務分公司總經理王錦榮、高雄港區土地開發公司董事長沈妙姿、總經理蘇志勳，共同交流高雄港發展願景展望。據悉，隈研吾對這個世界最大活化的高雄港倉庫群、以及連結駁二藝術特區與高雄港蓬萊商港區的大港橋，大讚「景觀既壯闊秀麗，更可看到高雄和台灣轉變的過程」，因此，決定親自設計「嬉港倉」旅店，「讓歷史留給我們的禮物，好好保存下來」。沈姿妙指出，「嬉開發」團隊已經與高雄港區土地開發公司，簽訂「大港倉二期整建招租案」合作意向書，由「嬉開發」團隊成立專案公司「嬉港倉股份有限公司」經營，預計投資額約4億元，合約期間20年，到期可續約承租，特色旅店初步規劃44間客房，2024年底前營運。沈妙姿表示，高雄市政府近年與臺灣港務公司合作，進行港區水岸的轉型開發，陸續推出「棧貳庫」、「高港水花園」、「大港橋」等建設，屢獲各界好評。高雄市長陳其邁上任後，除挈劃「亞灣2.0智慧科技創新園區」等建設外，更加速推動愛河、愛河灣、三號船渠等遊艇碼頭，並全面開放水域，提供全國民眾友善親水環境，成功翻轉港區面貌。2021國慶煙火、2022台灣燈會、台灣文博會及設計展、2023海洋派對等大型活動所創造的口碑人潮，讓港區成為高雄市政建設的焦點，也吸引各界投資開發的目光。沈妙姿透露，隈研吾大師希望透過大港倉二期「嬉港倉」旅館設計，提供人們自由地到戶外活動、感受自然，即使在室內，也能感受到自然光影的轉變，融合文化元素和自然景觀，注重保護和強調高雄獨特的自然風貌，同時，提供舒適和豪華的住宿體驗，將高雄的手工藝，文化，藝術體現在設計各種面向，讓這座旅館將不僅是簡單的建築物，更是一座高雄港文化地標，向世界展示高雄的魅力和創造力，讓高雄這座城市、這片土地，充滿活力和人氣，除了創造高話題性，並藉此提升國際知名度及能見度，也透過國際級大師的地標作品接軌國際。蓬萊商港區是高雄港區最早開發的區域，曾歷經打狗開港、築港工程，見證倉庫、鐵道與港口的海運聯運體系逐步成長，推動城市茁壯，曾因戒嚴封閉，2018年港市合一開放解禁，臺灣港務公司高雄港務分公司總經理王錦榮表示，「蓬萊商港區曾是將滄海化為桑田，創造外銷奇蹟的蓬萊仙島」，歷經打狗開港與築港工程，蓬萊商港區逐步走向現代化，倉庫、鐵道與機械起卸設備，港口與鐵道的海運聯運，使得高雄港的運能，在1930年代快速成長。王錦榮指出，戰後1949年因戒嚴令港區封鎖，直至近年不斷推動「港市合一」，才於2018年解除蓬萊商港區的限制，兼顧港區貨運需求之下，逐步調整散雜貨作業碼頭，未來，將持續結合大港倉一期及大港橋串連駁二藝術特區、蓬萊倉庫群，加速水岸空間整體發展。文章出處

如果想入手獨特外觀與經典並存的潮鞋，相信Converse再度與中國大陸設計師品牌FENG CHEN WANG合作的2-in-1 CHUCK 70概念設計就是最好選擇。設計師將兩雙鞋款，解構之後再拼接成一雙鞋，體現「合二為一」的理念，讓人難忘其獨特。 日前落幕的香港潮流市集，FENG CHEN WANG在自己的陳列攤位上，帶來了新款2-in-1 CHUCK 70概念鞋。 日前落幕的香港潮流市集，FENG CHEN WANG在自己的陳列攤位上，帶來了新款2-in-1 CHUCK 70概念鞋。兩個月前，Converse與FENG CHEN WANG就曾以2-in-1的概念翻玩了CHUCK 70低筒帆布鞋，既造成熱烈討論，上市後更是迅速銷售一空。沒想到在日前落幕的香港潮流市集，FENG CHEN WANG在自己的陳列攤位上，帶來了新款2-in-1 CHUCK 70概念鞋，讓人側目。即使仍是解構、重組的手法，但全新的2-in-1 CHUCK 70鞋，保有招牌帆布鞋的輪廓，卻加入像是涼鞋般的細節，透過黑、白配色呈現，詮釋FENG CHEN WANG想表達的「與另一半一起創造下一個未來」的理念。預計將於4月30日起於Converse A11 Next專賣店及指定通路限量發售。 前有Converse與FENG CHEN WANG跨界合作新潮鞋，PUMA則邀請了紐約華裔女性藝術家Sophia Chang相隔10年再度攜手，打造一系列女性聯名單品。  此次以女子籃球作為靈感來源，搭配柔和粉嫩色調創造出女孩感十足的Suede與Palermo鞋款。像是人氣的Palermo by SOPHIA CHANG德訓鞋，利用純白皮革鞋面拼接米色麂皮，鞋側畫上芋紫色麂皮彎刀，更可在窺見籃球主題插畫圖樣，無論是搭配運動休閒或是初夏洋裝都精彩。圖文出處