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UPC:

touch, settle, experience


2019 - Gdańsk

RETAIL

Details

Commercial spaces can no longer just be places to sell; they must be places to experience. Before creating any visual concepts for the new UPC showrooms, we started with a fundamental question: who are our prospective customers, and what do they actually need? We abandoned formal, transactional layouts and instead built a deeply researched, human-centric strategy designed to decrease social distance. By mapping the exact behaviours of both digital natives and older generations, we translated basic human needs into a highly scalable retail environment. The result is a new nationwide standard where logic and research pave the way for a friendlier, relationship-driven customer experience.

30

Square meters of area (minimum)

220

Square meters of area (maximum)

8

Months of work

1

Building smart assumptions first


Great design is the result of deep understanding. We approached the UPC showrooms holistically, starting with the premise that the space must be welcoming to everyone — from the older generation to young digital natives. To build our smart design assumptions, we executed a rigorous creative research process: we analysed top competitor projects, conducted intensive workshops with the Management Board and managers, interviewed showroom employees about their daily needs, and consulted with technology and customer-experience experts.

2

Aligning human needs with business goals


This thorough research phase allowed us to completely rethink the contemporary sales model. To build friendlier, less formal relationships, we based the entire spatial concept on three main behavioural assumptions:

- Touch: Allowing customers to contact technology and the product in a physical, intuitive way.

- Settle: Creating a seamless environment for going through formal and administrative matters.

- Experience: Fostering genuine relationships and generating positive, lasting impressions for the users.

3

Scalable architecture


The main business assumption was flexibility: the concept had to effortlessly adjust to areas of various shapes and sizes, ranging from 30 to 220 sqm. Because users visit for completely different reasons, the space had to support both efficient, fast-paced interactions and longer visits in a more private atmosphere.

The four functional zones

Based on these behavioural assumptions, we divided the showroom into four highly specific areas:

- Quick service point: Located right next to the entrance, allowing customers to get immediate assistance in a convenient standing position.

- American diner-style zone: Designed for individual service, this visually and acoustically isolated space is meant for longer, private conversations. Crucially, the L-shaped seats intentionally decrease the social distance between the customer and the employee, fostering a less formal relationship.

- Product display zone: Designed using perforated wooden panels, this smart solution allows employees to quickly and easily change the arrangement and number of products displayed.

- Living room zone: A cosy space resembling a family home. Here, customers can relax, watch their favourite TV series, read a book, or test UPC’s digital services while enjoying a cup of tea from the tea machine.

4

Elevating the user experience


The new look perfectly harmonises with the brand, combining the products offered with the actual joy of using them. As Jarosław Pijanowski, VP of Sales & Care at UPC Polska, noted, this concept transfers customer experiences to a much higher level while remaining incredibly friendly to the employees.

A continuous evolution

The first showrooms in Gdańsk, Sosnowiec, and Warsaw are now fully operational, but our work doesn't stop at the opening. We are continuously analysing the use and functionality of these spaces on an ongoing basis. The conclusions drawn from these living surveys will serve to refine and design the next locations in the nationwide rollout.

Scope

Design


Design Concept

Team

Board


Bogusz Parzyszek

CEO I Founder

Dominika Zielińska

Former Managing Partner, Workplace

Design


Daniel Dziczek

Architect

Aleksandra Piotrowicz

Architect

Urszula Kuc

Architect

Client


UPC

Polska

Suppliers & partners


Damian Bieniek

space branding & wayfinding

Piotr Najar

space branding & wayfinding