"We wash cars with light": the Volvo Retail Experience in the Luleå showroom

When Erik Stigmar walks into the Volvo car dealership in the northern Swedish town of Luleå, he first strokes the shiny, meticulously positioned cars. As a trained architect, the Senior Manager for Retail Experience at Volvo Cars from Göteborg places great value on the precise implementation of his new design concept. As he states, "Volvo is a high quality brand, and that has to be reflected in the retail design."
The "Volvo Retail Experience", the new store concept behind the Swedish premium vehicle brand, is currently being rolled out worldwide in Volvo dealerships. The approach reflects Scandinavian inspired values of calm, clean lines, communicates the brand values and creates an environment for the customers with high levels of visual transparency. These factors are experienced in the atmosphere, the materials, colours and light.
An inherent part of the concept are two areas with completely different atmospheres and functions—a cosy, contemplative "living room" is located in the centre of the showroom, fitted out with organically designed seating by Hans Wegner and other Scandinavian icons of design. The waiting area provides a warm welcome with natural materials, timber, textiles, soft shapes and friendly colours and is intended to support relaxed conversations at an informal level. Here, there is coffee available, customers can make use of the free internet and there's also a children’s play corner with Scandinavian toys.
The second area frames this living room zone and is reminiscent of a street—it's where the very latest Volvo models are dynamically displayed. Black, white and grey tones dominate, along with cool, hard materials. Brightly illuminated and lively, this product zone is the most important area of the showroom and can also be seen from the outside through the glazed facade.