Text description provided by the architects. After the spectacular project of its Paris showroom in February 2022, polette has collaborated once again with Javier Zubiria, founder of the Amsterdam-based architectural firm zU-Studio to bring to Antwerp a never-seen-before retail concept. It all started with a song, released exactly 50 years ago and yet more relevant than ever: Imagine, by John Lennon. After two years of people being apart from each other, where social interactions were nonexistent and tensions occurred everywhere, Pierre Wizman & Javier Zubiria wanted to build a place of connection and creativity, where people interact with each other.
And what better way to reconnect than via music? This is where the story becomes fascinating. Entering this pinnacle piece of architecture, visitors will be met by two giant piano keyboards, one on each side, represented by 88 keys. The white keys are composed of floor-to-ceiling mirrors, creating a feeling of infinity, while the black keys will serve as shelves to expose polette's optical and sunglasses collections.
At the center of the shop, people can experience the space while sitting on a giant white squared bench, a nod to John Lennon's two weeks Beds-in far peace protest. To complete this art-exhibit-like experience, the ceiling welcomes an incredible piano lid shape sculpture, beveled throughout the entire 20 meters deep showroom. A music instrument within which you can shop Each piano key is actually true to its function. Thanks to a sensor connection, visitors are invited to collaborate, create or interpret the perfect song.
A light signal will indicate when to press the designated key so that people, whether alone or in groups, can all play together in perfect harmony. "This space is a tribute to peace, love, and unity, and it will be the first one in the world where people will be able to play a song using the furniture, that will also act as shelves to display the product. I imagined this place as a temple, a moment in time where not only you are here to shop but also share an instant" states Javier Zubiria.
