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Blocher Partners (bp) was founded 30 years ago in Germany by Jutta and Dieter Blocher. From the very beginning, their approach was transdisciplinary. Along with their client needs, they added new competencies to their practice: interior design, product design, but also marketing and communication solutions. Thanks to their recognized know-how in the development of retail spaces, they were soon labelled as retail architects. They could offer clients holistic concepts, always putting the customer in the centre of actions and the thinking process. For getting in touch with their clients in an early stage and really understanding their needs, Blocher Partners lately expanded their business by the field design strategy: early in 2022 ‘Blocher Partners sens’ was established. Erik Schimkat who leads the new entity, is an interior designer who has specialized in co-creative design research methods. These are of great importance when it comes to unveiling unseen potential and pushing ideas towards new boundaries. For this interview we had the chance to talk to both Jutta and Erik about innovation and transformation in the retail business.

Innovation and transformation

IADS - What is your understanding of innovation for retail in general? How do you translate that into architecture? Do you sense any kind of acceleration or a sense of emergency, especially with Covid?

bp Jutta - Innovation should be broken down a bit. Working for the retail industry, but also for the hospitality business or even when creating offices, we can see what companies have in common: they have to deal with uncertainty when it comes to bringing a new project to life. Innovation really lies in dealing with this permanent uncertainty, and in the ability to turn it into a suitable experience. Sustainability and digitalization are also big forces being part of the process.When it comes to innovation, we need to be brave enough to try unprecedented things. They might work for one company and not for the other: this is exactly the context in which we can provide efficient methods and offer viable solutions.

bp Erik - Companies often ask us to help them be more relevant. They are aware that it will take bravery and boldness for them to be successful in the future, but the more we move on together, the shyer they become. That's really the biggest challenge for us. Forcing us to take a step back, Covid touched on a raw nerve and critically highlighted what was not working. It allowed us to really think about spaces and usage. But we wouldn't say we felt a sense of emergency as questions were already there, Covid was acting more like a booster even accelerating the process. Finding the right solutions is just becoming increasingly complicated.

IADS - What are the limitations of architectures, if any, for modern retail? What can it do, or can’t do, to fix the issues?

bp Erik - As everything is becoming digital, architecture is not the first step of a project anymore. Since consumers can now shop online wherever, whenever they want, architecture is the possibility for a brand to ultimately be able to convey a strong brand identity. Architecture gives retailers the power to really decide where they want to be visible.

IADS - How did the sustainability concerns change your practice, especially in retail?

bp Jutta - As a company, sustainability is in our minds for many years. For instance, our HQ built 12 years ago received the DGNB certification, which was something pretty unique at that time. Since then, our design approach has always been very sustainable. It’s also been part of our clients’ mindset for many years, and even more with Covid and the overall climate situation worsening.

Does the store of the future exist?

IADS - What is your personal view of the store of the future (if such a ‘concept’ makes sense to you)? Do you want to mention any ongoing project that would relate to that vision?

bp Erik - Actually such a concept doesn't really make sense to us. Although it is especially important for us to develop visions, it would be far too specific to have a single solution for a store of the future. There are certain guidelines and trends that have to be considered when developing a retail project, but in the end, our efforts are put into finding the specific solution for a specific client and its specific target group. As a company, we try not to use the word future as it can put us immediately in the past somehow. That said, we understand why there is this need for such a notion as it would represent an easy and global answer to many questions.

IADS - Architecture and online: how do you articulate both to cope with the customer omnichannel journey?

bp Jutta - We developed a digital unit within the company over the past years, consisting of a network of experts from the digital field. The purpose of such a unit is to both provide a seamless experience to our clients, and of course to help them deliver a seamless experience to their own customer base. Once again, we work on tailored solutions which will be very different from one retailer to another. For instance, Breuninger is very much advanced when it comes to online shopping, and they have a very good digital unit we closely collaborate with. The situation might be very different with another retailer.

IADS - Retail is about people - customers -, but also and equally importantly sales teams. How do you take them into account in your projects? And in the future now that staff retention and quality of work environment are crucial to retaining talents?

bp Erik - Our methods include having all experts and stakeholders at the table when kicking off a new project. The question of the sales teams comes usually late in the process, but we consider it crucial to include them from the early stage of a project, like any other stakeholder. They have a very valuable impact on the design process because of their unique position on the shop floor, providing products and experience to the customers.  It might also be counterproductive to impose a new store design they will have to work with for years without involving them. Finally, because they feel seen and listened to, they often become ambassadors for the project

IADS - How do you manage creativity within your organisation? How are ideas generated and with what process?

bp Jutta - Our transdisciplinary approach is of some help in that matter, especially considering we need to make people work from our different locations, in Stuttgart, Mannheim, Berlin and India. We also have specific formats to develop exchange and creativity: we host something called ‘creative exchange’ where we invite external speakers on trends or innovation. We also have in-house talks bringing the whole company together. In addition, we're working on white papers, and we research ideas that we think are worth exploring. In the end, creativity works when we combine all expertise, and not only the design people as all people need to have a full understanding of what's going on.

IADS - Could you please tell us more about ‘Blocher Partners Sens’ new division? How are workshops and methods like LSP (Lego Serious Play) unique to understanding the client’s needs and developing an adequate project?

bp Erik - Blocher Partners Sens comes in at a very early stage of a project to work in a co-creative process with the client. Using different perspectives and methods, we are trying to find the best solution for the client. Everyone involved in the process is on the same page and the overall method ensures that everyone is taken into account. For example, the Lego Serious Play method allows everyone to have a voice, no one is louder or quieter. Everyone can come up with something creative (even when people are not part of the creative field) enabling them to have a valuable impact on the project. It starts with a perfect briefing in the early stage to really know what we have to work on, and the problems to be solved to reach a successful outcome.

We also use more creative methods allowing us to keep an eye on the overall project and make sure we are still on the right track compared to what was decided in the beginning. Blocher Partners Sens is also about communicating with all the project’s stakeholders, and about conveying the message of change. An evaluation is made after the project to assess what was good and what can be improved. It’s increasingly important in retail considering spaces are not set for years anymore.

Department stores and retailers

IADS - What is the role of a department store in 2022? How do you see its articulation with the city? In your view, is the European department store part of the 1% of public buildings (like a church, a city hall, a landmark...) or something else?

bp Jutta - It’s both, and something else! Department stores are city marketplaces where people can go without having a specific goal. Knowing that something is happening there is a good enough reason to go. The new KaDeWe flagship store in Berlin embodies this vision. The idea of public buildings fits with the idea of the department store: like a church or a landmark, it's a place where people find experiences.

In regard to this idea, Breuninger’s champagne bar is a very good example, as people don’t go there having shopping in mind, but for the experience. The EmiLu hotel we worked on in Stuttgart is another great example. The breakfast room, empty hence spooky most of the time, is open for everybody to have brunch until 4 pm. The place has been crowded since then. It shows that with more creativity, the hotel had a bigger chance to be in part of the city and become the “talk of the town”. This initiative also has a strong impact on the appeal of the hotel itself, as a place to stay.

IADS - How do we make sure that department stores will continue to be part of people’s lives? How is an architecture practice of some help?

bp Jutta - Whereas some became only ‘product portfolio’ over the years, department stores should go back to being places for experiences and discovery, their essence from the very beginning. Thanks to their size, locations and product offer, they have a true competitive advantage for experiences and discovery and a bigger chance to succeed when compared to other retailers. The challenge is more to make them understand the potential they have here.

Department stores can benefit from their great architecture (for some of them), from their restaurant offer making them a great place to meet friends. They offer a physical experience, and we are all craving for experiences.

IADS - Looking back: what did Blocher Partners learn with the various projects you ran with department stores? How working with department stores is different from other projects?

bp Erik - Department stores are very different as a lot of stakeholders are involved, adding complexity to uncertainty. On the other hand, they have more expertise, hence much more possibilities when it comes to what can be achieved. In the end, it might be more intense than working with smaller companies, but the results are often much more holistic experiences.

Contact:

Annette Willige

Head of Business Development

Tel: +49 711 224 82-452

Mobile: +49 152 54511169

Annette.Willige@blocherpartners.com

Credits: IADS (Christine Montard)