Country Road’s Newmarket store has won three Retail Design Excellence (RED) Awards. Images supplied.
Country Road’s New Zealand flagship in Newmarket, Auckland has been awarded three Retail Design Excellence (RED) Awards from the Retail Interiors Association (NZRIA) for it’s innovative store design. When the Newmarket store opened in November 2019, it was designed to enhance the customer experience at every touch point, while revitalising recycled materials into beautiful new store features. It followed the launch of the brand’s first 5 Star Green Star Design Review rated store in Australia which is full of sustainable features and is an exciting way forward in store design.
Country Road’s Newmarket store has been awarded: Inzide Sustainability Winner, Green Star Rated Retail Fitout Retail Design Excellence, Fashion + Accessories Group Winner and Gartshore Group VM + Styling Excellence Award.
“We are so proud to have received 3 RED Awards recognising this beautiful flagship store – a space that represents our ongoing commitment to sustainable design – not only in fashion, but in the retail space too,” says Country Road Managing Director Elle Roseby, who noted that the RED Awards marked another milestone for the brand.
“We have now opened seven Country Road stores targeting a 5 Star Green Star Design Review rating since August 2019, and will continue to do so into the future – always challenging ourselves to be on the forefront of innovation in conscious design.”
The Newmarket flagship store was designed by Country Road Store Design & Development Manager Alicia Buffinton and was fitted out by Datum Projects Ltd, with the space offering some clever store fixtures that have been made from recycled materials, including:
• Fixtures made from recycled yoghurt containers
• Carpet crafted from fishing nets
• Parquetry flooring reclaimed from old buildings
• Recycled paper wall cladding
• Fitting room hooks revitalised from ocean plastic
• Fitting room curtains made from recycled polyester
• Store fixtures and tables crafted from recycled plastic
• Luxurious wool wall hangings salvaged from leftover yarn
“I speak for my whole team when I say we are so proud and excited to be recognised for these awards, particularly as this location is our first within New Zealand to target the 5 Star Green Star Design Review rating. It’s a pleasure to represent a brand always challenging design concepts and striving for a more conscious design,” says Alicia Buffinton.
Green Star is Australia’s only national and voluntary rating system for buildings, fit-outs and communities. A Green Star certified rating is awarded as a third-party verification of a project’s sustainability and is an internationally recognised sustainability rating system.
Country Road also launched Our World in 2019, which is a platform dedicated to sharing their sustainability journey and includes their Our World Edit, an online guide dedicated to highlighting Country Road’s most conscious design practices. Among the sustainable initiatives they have planned are more 5 Star Green Star stores like their Newmarket store, with Country Road hoping their innovative retail space will inspire others in their industry to take sustainable steps forward.
Images supplied.