Retail Design and Visual Merchandising

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Retail is naturally the showplace for new ideas, new concepts and new products. As such, the store environment serves as the selling stage for the latest merchandise offerings of the day, and a tool
of communication used to create a dialogue with the targetedcustomer. Through effective visual merchandising, the retailer communicates both the attributes of the brand, and the attributes of
the products offered.

The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to the importance of visual merchandising as an integral component of a successful retail strategy. This course will include an in-depth analysis of the retail store environment. The principles, philosophies and technologies of visual merchandising will be studied through exploration of the marketplace and hands-on classroom experimentation.

MODULES
- Product analysis.
- Space analysis of a store.
- Materials used in interiors and visual merchandising.
- Store windows, including use of materials.
- Retail furniture: types, scale, proportions.
- Lighting: types and applications.
- Approach to the classic creative process: briefing, brainstorming, ideas scheme, concept.
- Final project: students will propose a concept to be applied in visual merchandising and a shop window.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
- Create and apply a new concept or idea in a interior retail space or shop window.
- Categorize different kinds of products and materials, and analyze them.
- Select different products and materials to showcase a specific product in a shop.
- Apply all the knowledge learned in visits to different showrooms and shops.

REQUIREMENTS
Interest in interior design, furniture and materials is required.

TEACHING METHOD
This course will combine lectures, practical exercise to apply
concepts, and visits to retail furniture and lighting showrooms.

GRADING
20% commitment and participation in class discussion
30% design process
50% design outcomes
Students will have to complete all the parts included in the grade weights and earn at least a 5/10 in each part.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
– CASTETS, Simon (et. al.): Louis Vuitton: art, fashion and architecture. New York: Rizzoli, 2009.
– HEIMANN, Jim; HELLER, Steven, (eds.): Shop America. Midcentury Storefront Design. Köln: Taschen, 2007.
– MORGAN, Tony: Visual merchandising: window in-store displays for retail. London: Laurence King, 2008.
– NEUFERT, Ernst; NEUFERT, Peter; KISTER, Johannes: Architects’ data. Chichester, West Sussex, UK & Ames, Iowa: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012.
– PRACHT, Klaus: Tiendas: planificación y diseño. Barcelona: Gustavo Gili, 2004.
– SCHMIDT, Petra; TIETENBERG, Annette; WOLLHEIM, Ralf (eds.): Patterns in Design Art and Architecture. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2005.