VMSD - July 2017 - 9

THE

GOODS
edited by Jennifer Acevedo

PORTFOLIO:

Kit and Ace, New York

R I CH AR D C ADAN , FA IR FI E LD, C O NN.

W

estfield Corp., the Los
Angeles-based developer of
the Oculus center at New
York's World Trade Center, wouldn't permit
its retail tenants to put up just any store in
its premier development. So when Bergmeyer Associates (Boston) was tasked with
designing Canadian apparel brand Kit and
Ace's newest location, delivering the unexpected was top of mind.
"Every tenant was expected to bring
something new and exciting," says Stan
Kubinski, Bergmeyer project manager.
"You couldn't just use your last latest-andgreatest prototype. Every concept had to be
approved by the developer."
The ceiling in each store had to be a
focal point, per Westfield's requirements,
says Kubinski, "So we created this sculptural ceiling, a modern interpretation
of a Canadian West Coast forest. It was

intended to give the expression of being
under a canopy of big trees."
Cutouts in the gypsum panels above
allowed LEDs to shine through like lightning strikes streaking across the ceiling.
The cashwrap echoed the folded modern
geometry of the ceiling, while floor fixtures
down the middle of the store featured vertical tubes that shot into the air like trees in
the woods. Vertical panels along the store's
perimeter also supported the modern aesthetic of the West Coast woodlands, and a
decorative back panel with hollow metal
tubing running across the store reinforced
the tree canopy aesthetic.
But at 1200 square feet, this store had to
be more than just a dramatic interpretation
of Canadian topography. "Because of the
cost of the real estate, every square foot of
the store had to be productive," says Kubinski. "The fixtures were designed for maxi-

mum density. The perimeter was put to
work, as well. Everything had to drive sales."
The store opened August 2016, and the
retailer was one of the few tenants ready for
the transportation center's grand opening.
On April 28, 2017 - just eight months later - it
closed. In fact, Kit and Ace, which had opened
52 stores in 52 weeks, closed all of its U.S.
stores. Only a few Canadian stores remain, as
part of the company's strategy to eliminate
international storefronts and downsize its
overall brick-and-mortar operations.
"If you'd told me a year ago that this
entire operation would close shop and be
done, I'd have laughed," says Kubinski, who
worked on approximately 20 of the company's stores. "People love the brand and loved
going to the stores.
"In fact," he says, "I'd have predicted
another 50 stores by next year."
- Steve Kaufman

VMSD.COM

|

JULY 2017

9



http://www.VMSD.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of VMSD - July 2017

Vmsd - July 2017
Contents
From the Editor
Vmsd Editorial Advisory Board
The Goods
Design Detail
A Head Above the Rest
Scenes of Siam
Elevated Eleganza
Showroom
Showroom
Ad Index
Checking Out
VMSD - July 2017 - Intro
VMSD - July 2017 - BB1
VMSD - July 2017 - BB2
VMSD - July 2017 - Vmsd - July 2017
VMSD - July 2017 - Cover2
VMSD - July 2017 - 1
VMSD - July 2017 - Contents
VMSD - July 2017 - 3
VMSD - July 2017 - From the Editor
VMSD - July 2017 - 5
VMSD - July 2017 - Vmsd Editorial Advisory Board
VMSD - July 2017 - 7
VMSD - July 2017 - 8
VMSD - July 2017 - The Goods
VMSD - July 2017 - 10
VMSD - July 2017 - 11
VMSD - July 2017 - 12
VMSD - July 2017 - 13
VMSD - July 2017 - Design Detail
VMSD - July 2017 - 15
VMSD - July 2017 - A Head Above the Rest
VMSD - July 2017 - 17
VMSD - July 2017 - 18
VMSD - July 2017 - 19
VMSD - July 2017 - 20
VMSD - July 2017 - 21
VMSD - July 2017 - 22
VMSD - July 2017 - 23
VMSD - July 2017 - 24
VMSD - July 2017 - 25
VMSD - July 2017 - Scenes of Siam
VMSD - July 2017 - 27
VMSD - July 2017 - 28
VMSD - July 2017 - 29
VMSD - July 2017 - Elevated Eleganza
VMSD - July 2017 - 31
VMSD - July 2017 - 32
VMSD - July 2017 - 32A
VMSD - July 2017 - 32B
VMSD - July 2017 - 33
VMSD - July 2017 - 34
VMSD - July 2017 - 35
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VMSD - July 2017 - 37
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VMSD - July 2017 - 45
VMSD - July 2017 - 46
VMSD - July 2017 - Showroom
VMSD - July 2017 - 48
VMSD - July 2017 - 49
VMSD - July 2017 - 50
VMSD - July 2017 - 51
VMSD - July 2017 - 52
VMSD - July 2017 - 53
VMSD - July 2017 - Showroom
VMSD - July 2017 - 55
VMSD - July 2017 - 56
VMSD - July 2017 - 57
VMSD - July 2017 - Ad Index
VMSD - July 2017 - 59
VMSD - July 2017 - Checking Out
VMSD - July 2017 - Cover3
VMSD - July 2017 - Cover4
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