The Retail Design Institute named Mackage, in Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, its 2016 Store of the Year. The honor was announced May 24 at the Institute’s 46th Awards Gala & Fundraiser in New York City.
Designed by BURDIFILEK, Toronto, the 2,600-sq.-ft. store was also recognized for innovation in lighting design and overall concept. A Canadian-based chain, Mackage gained a cult following for its outerwear collections and has since evolved into a lifestyle brand. The collaboration between BURDIFILEK design team and Mackage team, drew inspiration from the urban sensibility of a modern ski chalet where the environment becomes a welcome respite from the “busyness” of the traditional shopping experience.
In all, the Institute’s annual international store design competition awarded 42 projects representing the work of 32 firms (10 international and 22 North American design consultants) in addition to Innovation awards in 11 categories from artistic expression to technology integration. The Minneapolis | St. Paul Chapter handled coordinating judging of more than 125 projects submitted for competition. Judges were: Judy Bell, founder and chief energetic officer, Energetic Retail, Minneapolis; Dan Berg, creative director, Shea Design, Minneapolis; James Damian, principal, James Damian Brand Integration Services, Minneapolis; Maureen Mitton, CID, professor, Design Department Director, Interior Design B.F.A. Program; University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wis.; Jeremy Nelson, principal, Little Box, Inc., Minneapolis; Reginaldo Reyes, vice president, Brand Experience, KNOCK Inc., Minneapolis; Jamie Sneed, director, Global Store Design, Planning and Visual Merchandising, Aveda, Blaine, Minn.; and Sanford Stein, principal, STEIN LLC, St. Paul, Minn.
Additionally, two veteran design professionals were inducted into the Legion of Honor. Kathleen Jordan, AIA, CID, LEED AP, RDI, retail practice area leader and principal, Gensler, New York City and Joseph P. Nevin Jr., FRDI, senior principal, Bergmeyer Associates, Boston, accepted their awards at the Gala. (See related story.)
August 8, Brampton, Ont.
B&B Italia, New York City
Bergdorf Goodman, New York City
Best Buy Tech Home, Mall of America, Bloomington, Minn.
BonLook, Pointe-Claire, Que.
Brothers Marketplace, Weston, Mass.
Cadillac House, New York City
Calgary Co-op, Calgary
Cheflavor, Temecula, Calif.
The Clinic, Denver
Desjardins Mobile Branch, Montreal
Desjardins Service Signature, Montreal
EAST Izakaya, St. Catharines, Ont.
Fabled By Marie Claire, London
Farmacia Lloris Gonzalez, Burriana, Castellon
Golden Harvest, Fanling, China
Herman Miller, New York City
Hickey Freeman, New York City
hyper-mart, Hunan, China
The Hyundai, Pangyo, South Korea
Indigo, Toronto
Innovation Award for Store Planning
Interceramic Showroom, Dallas
La Sirena, New York City
LeEco Experience Showroom, Beijing
Level Kids, Dubai
Mamas & Papas, London
Masseria, Toronto
Metropole, Sydney
Missguided, London
Nordstrom, Yorkville Shopping Centre, Toronto
Innovation Award for Storefront
Penguin Shop, Toronto
PIRCH SoHo, New York City
Pizza Pasta Please, Campbelltown, NSW
Rent the Runway, New York City
Saks Fifth Avenue, Toronto
Innovation Award for Artistic Expression
Saks Food Hall by Pusateri’s, Sherway Gardens, Toronto
Silver Deer, Mexico City
Sport Chek, Toronto
Innovation Award for Digital Integration
Teavana, Palo Alto, Calif.
Vision Source, Kingwood, Tenn.
YU Seafood, Richmond Hill, Ont.
The annual Gala is also a fundraiser benefiting the Institute’s Student Design Competition Prize Fund. Gala sponsors included Karen Pearse Global Direct (Gold Sponsor), Little Diversified Architectural Consulting and CallisonRTKL (Silver Sponsors). Bronze sponsors included: Aedifica, ArcVision, ASI, ARTTA, BHDP, BURDIFILEK, Gensler, Highland Associates, Heitler Houstoun Architects, MNA, RetailOne, Shawmut Design & Construction and TPG Architecture. Chain Store Age magazine is the Institute’s media partner in promoting and publishing the winning projects.
The Institute thanks the Minneapolis | St. Paul Chapter for organizing and facilitating the 46th Awards Program Judging in the Minneapolis offices of Shea Design in March. Special thanks to Ashley Melanson and Beth Bentson assisted by Libby Shea Hurley, Calvin Clinton, Monica Coleman and Mara Kuzmanovic.