My work at Kalaallit Nunaanni Brugseni includes, among other things, decorating both the exterior and interior of Brugseni stores. The goal is to make them more pleasant to be in and easier for customers to navigate.
This is the first time a newly built store like Brugseni Natalie has received a reinterpreted version of an existing design. Even though I had very little time to design how it should look inside the store and in the exterior windows, I am satisfied with the preliminary result.
The biggest change you immediately notice when stepping into the store is the artificial plant walls with neon lights, featuring our secondary font, Sadey Ann, which adorn the upper walls of the Fruit & Vegetables and Wine & Beer departments. Most of the inspiration came from Miami, when I attended the Adobe Max conference.
Other changes include more painted walls and surfaces throughout the store. Brugseni’s famous red color, which can be a bit intense to look at, has been toned down and made slightly darker, complemented by a gray color that is also part of our color palette. This color combination can be seen in the butcher and delicatessen departments.
To make it easier for customers to navigate the store, I had large 3D block letter signs made using our primary typeface, Serenity. These signs hang in balconies, above coolers, and in the butcher and delicatessen areas – the departments where the product placement doesn’t change. The combination of 3D block letter signage, neon signs with artificial plant walls, and painted surfaces creates a sense of harmony between different styles.
The self-checkout area has also been given its own visual universe, first introduced at Brugseni Qinngorput. However, in Brugseni Natalie there are no walls to decorate in this area, so instead a PVC sign was installed featuring our self-checkout graphics and message.
The different universes that each department has make it easier for customers to orient themselves quickly and intuitively.
Even though I had very little time to design the store’s visual identity, there is a clear concept behind my choices. The most important priorities were that the store should be beautiful, pleasant to be in, and easy for customers to navigate.
Many people are busy after work and often shop for dinner on their way home. In my opinion, pleasant surroundings give us a sense of calm, even if we’re not consciously aware of it. That’s why I envisioned Brugseni Natalie as a place where busy people could take a small pause and relax before heading home. Whether that has worked is for the customers to decide.
It is said that a “liminal space” is a place a person passes through while undergoing change – a space where one moves from one mental state to another, whether in reality or in a dream. As a busy person coming into a store, the interior might also influence you to shift into a different state – more or less. This idea has been an important part of my thinking while designing the store’s look.
The graphics for the store’s window films are also new. Many of the windows are placed in a way that allows passers-by to see the backs of shelves and coolers from outside. These can be covered with window films featuring graphics and product images.
Before designing these films, I spent a lot of time in the photo studio photographing the many different products the store sells. For me, it was important that they look appealing, fresh, and like something you would want to buy. They have been given the same gray background that we now already use on the store’s walls.
Although Brugseni Natalie is the first store to receive the new design, the work is not yet completely finished. I look forward to developing it further and rolling it out to other stores along the coast.
If you are in Nuuk, I encourage you to visit Brugseni Natalie. At the moment, it is the most beautiful Brugseni store.
