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’

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

Food Inc.

The restyle of department store Whiteley’s in Bayswater, west London continues with the opening of a new destination food hall on the ground floor. A cross between a premium supermarket and a farmers’ market , Food Inc. consists of 16 ’stalls’ including a glittering fresh fish counter, a cabinet of iced cupcakes, a patisserie and charcuterie.

Described as ‘Borough Market without the muddy wellies’, the design and branding of Food Inc. is clean and vibrant, with each stall generously spaced to allow a relaxed stroll between zones. This is the kind of customer experience that ‘i-am’ champions. The branding is clear and coherent, and the arrangement of stalls allows easy navigation. And then there’s the food. Sourced by a Head Chef as opposed to a Retail Manager, Food Inc.’s point of difference is in it’s restaurant approach to food retail. Visit www.food-inc.com. Food Inc. Whiteley’s Department Store, Queensway, London W2

Chic and Basic

Reported straight from the ‘i-am’ team in Barcelona, this article on the hotel Chic & Basic caught our eye, because of the brand’s all-encompassing customer experience. Here’s a clipping of the article – visit the ‘i-am’ Barcelona Blog for more…

Chic & Basic is cool and perfect! Cool, in the sense that there’s a nice harmony with the classic architecture of the old building combined with modern architecture and furnishings. Perfect, in the sense that everything – and I mean everything – has been considered here. This is how a brand should work.

It all about YOU when you stay at Chic & Basic. From the staff who are discrete and attentive, cute soap packaging with great copywriting, even lollipops in your welcome pack… Fabulous!

This is a great example of a brand who have considered every stage of their customer journey, carrying the brand values through from interior design and packaging to staff uniforms and training.
Visit: www.chicandbasic.com and ‘i-am’ Barcelona

Sake No Hana

From Alan Yau, the influential restaurateur behind Wagamama and Hakkasan, comes a new Japanese fine-dining experience Sake No Hana (’sake flower’). The interior of this Modernist building in St. James has been well and truly transformed with gloss black escalators, Shinto arches and bamboo forests by award-winning Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Alan Yau is said to be the man who ‘made dim-sum fashionable’ and his restaurant brands are responsible for setting a standard for Oriental restaurants, with each offering a consistent and high-quality brand experience. Reservations: 020 7925 8988

GoldBar

Here at ‘i-am’ we’re big fans of consumer experiences and environments with a real ‘WOW’ factor, and GoldBar in New York certainly delivers on this level. Even in a city packed with glitzy cocktail lounges, opulent new downtown hotspot Goldbar stands out from the crowd. As its name suggests it’s practically forged from gold, with gold skulls embedded in the walls, gold chains separating the rooms, gold ceilings… oh, and $18 cocktails. The gilt-framed oil paintings are portraits of GoldBar investors, contractors, and the photographer’s accountant. It’s this attention to detail and the constant surprising touches around every corner that really impress, and make a visit worth paying that little bit more for – something a great brand experience should always achieve. Visit: www.goldbarnewyork.com

La Purificadora Hotel

At ‘i-am’ we’re always on the lookout for surprising, eye-popping environments and interiors, and the latest destination from Mexico’s HABITA Group, La Purificadora definitely deserves a mention. Having emerged from a converted water purification factory in Mexico’s fourth-largest city, Puebla, the hotel’s design, from Mexican architects Legorreta & Legorreta, features an open-air lobby area with a dramatic sweeping staircase.

Meanwhile, the interiors of the 26 rooms, identified by letters of the alphabet, blend glass, dark stone and wood, with splashes of kitsch purple for a playful feel. The rooftop terrace bar has become the latest hotspot in Puebla and buzzes til the early hours. Visit: www.lapurificadora.com