Project: David Jones Elizabeth Street Flagship Store
Award: Retail Design – Retail chain stores, department stores, supermarkets and show rooms, Bronze, 2022
Location: Sydney, Australia
Design Practice: Benoy Ltd
Client: David Jones Pty Ltd
The David Jones Elizabeth Street flagship store in Sydney's Hyde Park District is one of Australia's most iconic department stores.
The designer’s challenge was to enhance the heritage structure, including the original ceiling casing and herringbone flooring, and provide a more contemporary and inspiring retail environment, while at the same time celebrating the store's opulent past.
The main concept for the interior design is ‘Windows to the World’, where each level is designed as a portal to transport the customer into a new world. It includes five distinct ‘worlds’, each one with its own interior architecture qualities and specific target audiences.
Design highlights:
A stunning shoe gallery in The Verandah, home to luxury shoes and bridal wear, utilizes the lofty ballroom proportions and makes the most of the spectacular views of the park and harbour. The atrium ties all the different floors together, allowing one to peek into each of these floors through the portal openings. To give each ‘World’ a unique character, different portal frame languages were applied. For example, a soft and curved arched portal frame signifies the women’s department whilst the angular bold frames characterized the men’s.
Photo credit: Justin Mackintosh
- LEAD DESIGNERS: Terence Seah, Azaria Lee, Mia Devika, Joel