Matter Nightclub

Matter, opening this month at the 02 venue in London is a new nightclub that is specifically designed and operated by London’s Fabric nightclub and it promises to be the country’s best equipped live music venue. ‘i-am’ looks forward to checking out what looks set be one of the most captivating clubbing experiences in the capital. In terms of branding, Juan Cortés has evolved the original Fabric artwork to reflect the architectural features of the building interior to create a coherent brand experience. ‘i-am’ look forward to reporting more once Matter’s doors open later this month.

Les Bains des Docks

OK, so this newly-opened continental pool complex is stretching the boundaries of Experience Fix’s ‘Stay‘ classification, but you could literally stay here for hours. And what better time to feature a Public Bath in this blog than when the ‘i-am’ London studio are sweltering through a mini heat-wave. Les Bains des Docks’ relaxing and cavernous system of halls is a sanctuary of smooth surfaces and rippling expanses of water, offset by bold architectural shapes. Situated in Le Havre and designed by architect Jean Nouvel, the baths are a part of a major rejuvination of one of the oldest docks in France.

The centre offers treatment zones for all-around pampering, but in terms of customer experience, ‘i-am’ are most impressed by the unexpected attention to detail that makes a visit to the baths that extra little bit special – check out the eye-searingly bright flashes of colour and smart mosaic detailing while planning your next trip across the Channel. Click HERE to see a fly-through animation.
Website: www.vert-marine.com/le-havre

Douglas & Gordon

‘i-am’ have been designing striking modern environments and distinctly memorable customer experiences for well-respected estate agents Douglas & Gordon for several years, and across 14 London sites. This summer, ‘i-am’ are pleased to unveil the stunning new branch design at D&G’s Balham office. Situated on Nightingale Lane and boasting sleek blue-tinted glass detailing and a modern take on the traditional hanging sign, this branch offers a environment and brand experience to truly rival its competitors.

And there’s more eye-candy inside…
Originally a chemist, this unique building contains a number of listed features including original Victorian Apothecary shelves, which have been filled with carefully-sourced vintage medical vials and equipment. Retaining these original features and coupling them with modern materials ‘i-am’ have delivered an environment that is as inspiring and surprising as it is welcoming. A trip to the estate agents will never be the same again.

Visit: www.i-amonline.com/estateagents.html for more estate agency transformations from ‘i-am’

Serpentine Pavilion

After much anticipation, this summer’s new temporary pavilion by acclaimed architect Frank Gehry is now open at the Serpentine Gallery in London’s Kensington Gardens. The Serpentine’s Pavilion series has been running for 9 years, with a different architect rising to the challenge of designing an innovative temporary structure each summer. In recent years, we’ve seen pavilions from Olafur Eliasson and Oscar Niemeyer, and 2008 sees Los Angeles-based Gehry take the helm.

Gehry’s four huge wooden columns support a structure of glass, fir timber and steel. This acts as a framework for a promenade-like space which is set to house live talks, music and performance over the coming months. ‘i-am’ love the way the apparently haphazard network of glass appears to tilt and slide.

Gehry says, “The Pavilion is designed as a wooden timber structure that acts as an urban street running from the park to the existing Gallery. Inside the Pavilion, glass canopies are hung from the wooden structure to protect the interior from wind and rain and provide for shade during sunny days.”
The Serpentine Pavilion runs from 20th July – 19th October. Visit www.serpentinegallery.org for details on upcoming Park Nights.

H-Box by Hermés

A while back, Experience Fix featured the Chanel Mobile Art Container (click HERE) and now, arriving inside London’s Tate Modern Turbine Hall is another gorgeous capsule of art, H-Box, this time from luxury French fashion house Hermés. Designed by artist and architect Didier Fiuza Faustino and based on the concept of the camera obscura, the interior of the slick, shiny H-Box features a state-of-the-art screen projecting a rotating series of video art from eight contemporary artists. This travelling aluminium circus will jet-off to the Yokohama Triennale in Japan, so check it out in London while you can (3 July – 17 August) Visit: www.tate.org.uk / www.hermes.com

Flash Restaurant

Riding on the wave of their runaway 2006 success The Reindeer, Bistrotheque restaurateurs Pablo Flack, David Waddington and Tom Collins launch a new temporary eatery, Flash. Opening between 01/11/08 and 19/01/09, Flash will literally ‘pop-up’ inside London’s Royal Academy as an installation-within-an-exhibition… and it will of course be serving up delicious food aswell. Coinciding with the Royal Academy’s GSK Contemporary season (a series of new exhibits, film screenings and live events), Flash will consist of an eccentric dining room space (featuring a constantly-evolving collection of art works from a variety of high-profile collaborators) and a sophisticated Californian/French menu. ‘i-am’ looks forward to this exciting new addition to the West End dining scene. Book now: www.bookflashnow.com

DAA

Dublin Airport Authority run a successful retail business across a number of airports, but are now keen to expand and strengthen their offer, so have enlisted ‘i-am’ to work on the restructuring, rebranding and strengthening of the DAA retail brand. As creators of great brand experiences, ‘i-am’ are ideally positioned for this project, and are currently developing a unique, informative and engaging visual language for the brand. Dublin Airport is currently undergoing an exciting transformation and extension, with a new terminal building and a radical overhaul to improve their customer experience. Visit www.dublinairportauthority.com for more news on this airport retail revolution that ‘i-am’ are excited to be a part of. Watch this space for more news on ‘i-am’s work with DAA or e-mail info@i-amonline.com for further information on this project.

Garanti

Turkish bank (and one of ‘i-am’s recent clients), Garanti has received the Euromoney Award for Excellence for the 9th time, and has been named ‘Best Bank in Turkey’. For more information on ‘i-am’s work for Garanti, check out the project profile HERE. Congratulations Garanti!

Rioma

Infiltrate the queue streaming around the block, and sneak into one of Mexico City’s most exclusive clubs. Rioma consists of a spectrum of glowing tables, bars and dancefloors, making the interior as eye-catching as the beautiful clientele. Bars, clubs and restaurants are the perfect sector for creating an all-encompassing theatrical customer experience, and Rioma doesn’t disappoint. Prop up the bar while vibrantly-lit Mexican ‘it’ girls gyrate to electronica in the main space, or sip a tequila in one of the more subtly illuminated chillout zones. Rioma’s premium vibe doesn’t detract from its Mexican spirit however, with a mixed fun crowd of hard-drinking club kids and VIPs. Visit Rioma’s MySpace page for club listings: www.myspace.com/clubrioma

Chilango

‘i-am’ are pleased to announce a delicious project currently in development – Chilango is a fast and fresh Mexican chain concept, where customers can build their own gourmet burritos, tacos, salads and other meals from the freshest ingredients. Each meal is individually prepared to your taste, right before your eyes. ‘i-am’ were called upon to generate a new name (‘Chilango’) and to develop the brand’s ‘DNA’ to ensure its personality reflected both the best of modern Mexican cuisine and urban culture with Latino fire and a lust for life. ‘i-am’ also created a new interior concept that captured the true essence of cool urban living, offering customers a choice of either dynamic dining or fast paced takeaway. Watch this space for news on the launch of Chilango… sign up HERE for updates straight to your inbox. For further information on ‘i-am’s work with Chilango, e-mail info@i-amonline.com