CDA SMART PLAYBOOK - Retail

RETAIL INDUSTRY COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK

WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE

Chipman Design Architecture has weathered over four decades of economic turbulence by consistently leading with our values. We believe people come first, standing as a partner by our clients’ side, and committing the talent and resources needed to innovate through any storm.

CDA has helped our clients find success in difficult times due to our ability to respond quickly, pivot team priorities, and adapt services to meet immediate client needs. Throughout the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, we doubled down on our client partnerships, building more fluid and non traditional relationships by offering new services like lease reviews and architectural test fits.

Crisis or not, we are nothing without our amazing team members, and we understand the demand to rethink human-centric design principles for our clients, as well as how to support our staff as we adapt to collaborating in a new working environment.

Admittedly, COVID-19 is uncharted territory, but as the leading architectural design firm for a post-COVID-19 world, we are facing it with courage, innovation and resilience.

COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ FIRM HISTORY

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MEJURI AUSTIN, TX

WE HAVE YOUR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN PLAN FOR COVID-19

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s mainstream businesses reopen, consumers are slowly venturing back into brick and mortars for a tactile shopping experience. The ultimate success of opening one’s doors is a delicate dance between precautionary measures while maintaining brand familiarity. CDA studied how the physical environment of a retail space might be impacted by viewing the footprint from a before and after perspective.

General programming for this case space included a 1,650 SF corner space that would initially include 1,000 SF of showroom floor with a dedicated clearance corner, 4 dressing rooms (1 ADA), and a back-of-house space with ample storage and break area.

CDA is leading the way with foresight and imagination on how public spaces need to not only adapt now but also thrive in a modified future. To meet changing demands we have to be SMART:

SPATIAL AWARENESS MATERIALS AIR QUALITY ROADMAP TOUCHLESS COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ SMART INTRO

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SPATIAL AWARENESS

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apping flexible solutions such as modular furniture and portable dividers will easily transform spaces to accommodate varying social distancing measures. In response to widely accepted social distancing guidelines, making ample space for personal boundaries is key to maintaining the health and safety of employees and customers. The challenge is translating those design choices without losing a sense of connection.

The primary areas of concern for most businesses and offices are common spaces like reception waiting areas, dining areas, meeting rooms, and break rooms. All of these gathering rooms will require a little creative thinking to draw a new floor plan to accommodate social distancing. Seat counts will need to be reduced and should remain adaptable to increase or decrease depending on future social distancing rules. Design choices should also emphasize privacy, with solutions like portable dividers that offer screening between seating.

COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ SPATIAL AWARENESS

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MATERIALS

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aterial choice is a major consideration in redesigning for a post-COVID world. Updating materials to innovative products noted for their anti-microbial and sanitation performance will serve a safer environment.

Bleach-cleanable materials and textiles (typically used in health care settings) are becoming the norm for commercial settings and are readily available to ship on demand without long lead times. The use of non-porous materials for countertops is ideal for ease of sanitizing. Quartz, for example, is available in a wide variety of looks, from solid white to mimicking natural stone. Additionally, copper, an on-trend material in the design world right now, is also naturally antimicrobial. Manufacturers have quickly adapted their product lines to include cost-effective options for the utilization of copper such as peel-and-stick solutions, which allow for a quick application that can be completed in a matter of minutes.

COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ MATERIALS

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AIR QUALITY

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roper ventilation and air purification is an important step in taking precautions against the spread of disease transmitted through aerosol or droplets. Installing well-planned HVAC systems that bring more than just comfort to a space will contribute to healthy Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).

While the gold standard for cleaner air might include the integration of HEPA filtration, UV-C light air purification and more advanced control packages within the mechanical system, these solutions are costly and often cannot be retrofitted to existing applications.

However, notable improvements in air quality can be achieved in nearly all systems by installing better air filters (MERV-13 minimum), increasing fresh air ventilation, setting controls to operate fans for longer periods, or even operational strategies such as running HVAC systems during off hours to “flush� the space of airborne contaminants.

If the architecture of the space allows it, open operable doors and windows during cool hours of the day to increase ventilation, then adjust control settings to address the changes in humidity that come with outside air.

COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ AIR QUALITY

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ROADMAP

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or a brick-and-mortar location, it’s imperative to communicate that guests can safely move through the space. Showcasing proper signage etiquette is key, combined with intentional design cues throughout, will provide subliminal way-finding.

Many of the ways a business needs to adjust its space will go unseen by employees and guests, so it’s important to ensure messaging and signage convey these choices. A successful socially distanced guest experience will also include clear signage directing customers. Thoughtful messaging invokes confidence for all end-users, as it suggests that everyone’s safety matters and that necessary measures are being taken. A more long-term solution than floor marker stickers could be creating clear, yet seamless, flooring and ceiling transitions that more subtly tell people where to go without distracting from the overall design of the space. Additionally, an array of previously secondary services have surged into the forefront, such as BOPIS (Buy online, pick-up in store) or curbside pick-up. Pathways for these services should be holistically integrated into the overall design, instead of as an after-thought.

COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ ROADMAP

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TOUCHLESS

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lready a key tool in replicating a sense of human connection in personal and professional settings, technology is a key tool that will be used in bridging the gap in human connection from six feet away in a public setting. Integrating both advanced technology and dependable mechanisms will ensure a contactless experience from initial entry and beyond.

Contactless offerings are becoming the expectation and therefore must be integrated into the overall design to promote a seamless experience. Smartphone apps will continue to gain momentum, as most small businesses have moved operations online while closed, presenting an opportunity to foster community through a digital experience. Strategically installing viewing monitors at contact points can aid communication of key information between employees and guests.

COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ TOUCHLESS

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CASE STUDY RETAIL BEFORE EMPLOYEE BREAK ROOM DOES NOT ALLOW FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING

HIGH SQUARE FOOTAGE USED FOR CHANGING ROOMS, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY NOT IN USE AND ANTICIPATED TO GET LESS FOOT TRAFFIC IN THE FUTURE

CROWDED MERCHANDISE DISPLAYS DON’T PROVIDE SPACE OR SIGNAGE FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING

ENTRANCE DOES NOT ALLOW FOR TOUCHLESS PASSAGE

FITTING ROOMS 200 SF

SHOWROOM 1000 SF

BACK OF HOUSE 450 SF

PUBLIC DRINKING FOUNTAINS ARE HARD TO KEEP CLEAN AND SANITARY. COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ CASE STUDY: BEFORE

UNDERUTILIZED SPACE COULD BE REASSIGNED TO SERVE A BETTER PURPOSE

MERCHANDISE DISPLAYS IMEPEDE ON BOTH CUSTOMER FLOW AND AN ADEQUATELY DISTANCED QUEUE LINE AT THE POS 9

CASE STUDY RETAIL AFTER BREAKROOM

DRESSING ROOMS

SIGNAGE

FAN WITH UV-C

BOPIS STATION

ADJUSTED KITCHENETTE AND COUNTER TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO PROPERLY SPREAD OUT $

LARGER DRESSING ROOMS WITH EASILY CLEANABLE ANTIMICROBIAL MATERIALS USED FOR BENCH AND CURTAINS $

BRANDED MESSAGING CLEARLY VISIBLE FROM STORE ENTRANCE ESTABLISHES SAFETY RULES $

UV-C TECHNOLOGY KILLS 99.99% OF AIRBORNE PATHOGENS AND SAFELY NEUTRALIZES ALLERGENS, ODORS, AND FUMES $

CLEAR VISIBILTY AND EASY ACCESS ALLOWS FOR CUSTOMERS TO PURCHASE PRODUCT ONLINE AND PICK-UP IN STORE $$

FITTING ROOMS 150 SF

RESTROOM

SHOWROOM

50 SF

1000 SF

BACK OF HOUSE 450 SF

RESTROOM ADDITION

HYDRATION STATION

SANITATION STATIONS

SAFE PURCHASE

REDUCED DISPLAYS

ENLARGED ENTRANCE

REALLOCATED SPACE ALLOWS FOR CONVENIENT FACILITIES FOR STAFF AND CUSTOMERS $$

REPLACED WATER FOUNTAINS WITH TOUCHLESS WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATION $

CLOTHING FROM FITTING ROOMS SANITIZED AND STORED UNTIL THEY CAN SAFELY BE RETURNED TO THE SHOWROOM FLOOR $

CLEAR BARRIERS AND CONTACTLESS POS STATIONS ADDED TO CHECK-OUT COUNTER $

LESS PRODUCT SKU INSIDE ALLOWS FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING AND ENCOURAGES ONLINE SHOPPING $

AUTOMATIC DOOR ALLOWS FOR MORE FRESH AIR CIRCULATION AND INCREASED ROOM FOR ENTERING AND EXITING $$

COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ CASE STUDY: AFTER

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MOOD BOARD

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he phrase “retail therapy� was coined for a reason. Stores often provide a respite from the busy rhythm of modern life by offering a place to decompress, escape, and play with different versions of the self. A restorative yet energizing space will provide an airy backdrop for apparel to shine and customers to shop.

COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ MOOD BOARD

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CASE STUDY RETAIL RENDERING

COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ PROJECT “AFTER” RENDERING

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CASE STUDY RETAIL RENDERING SIGNAGE DRESSING ROOMS LARGER DRESSING ROOMS WITH EASILY CLEANABLE ANTIMICROBIAL MATERIALS USED FOR BENCH AND CURTAINS $

BRANDED MESSAGING CLEARLY VISIBLE FROM STORE ENTRANCE ESTABLISHES SAFETY RULES $

BOPIS STATION CLEAR VISIBILTY AND EASY ACCESS ALLOWS FOR CUSTOMERS TO PURCHASE PRODUCT ONLINE AND PICK-UP IN STORE $$

FAN WITH UV-C UV-C TECHNOLOGY KILLS 99.99% OF AIRBORNE PATHOGENS AND SAFELY NEUTRALIZES ALLERGENS, ODORS, AND FUMES $

SANITATION STATIONS

SAFE PURCHASE CLEAR BARRIERS AND CONTACTLESS POS STATIONS ADDED TO CHECK-OUT COUNTER $

COVID-19 SMART PLAYBOOK \ PROJECT “AFTER” RENDERING

CLOTHING FROM FITTING ROOMS SANITIZED IN PUBLIC VIEW FOR TRANSPARENCY (ADDITIONAL SANITATION STATION IN BOH) $

REDUCED DISPLAYS LESS PRODUCT SKU INSIDE ALLOWS FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING AND ENCOURAGES ONLINE SHOPPING $

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Chipman Design Architecture talks to the New York Times about shifting layouts post-COVID-19 CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

HOW RETAIL CAN REINVENT ITSELF Chipman CEO Lauren Chipman’s piece in Fortune Magazine outlines the three major ways retail businesses can reinvent post-COVID-19 CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

DIVERSIFICATON OF THE AMERICAN MALL CDA’s Micah Shadowen talks to VMSD Magazine about how shared retail spaces can survive and thrive post-pandemic CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

MORE INF

PANDEMIC THREATENS A THRIVING REAL ESTATE MODEL

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Be well!

LAUREN CHIPMAN Chief Executive Officer lchipman@chipman-design.com 626-399-9494

BOB WIRSING Principal, Retail Studio bwirsing@chipman-design.com 708-268-4369

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