PORTFOLIO
LILLIAN ELLIOTT
IHI & WEHI
Rethinking Retail
2nd Year Project
The aim of this project was to re-think retail and consider how we ‘shop’, where we ‘shop’ and when we ‘shop’ in context to new developments in virtual and physical retail environments. This project examined the Maori themes of Ihi and Wehi associated with the creative process. These are complimentary terms of emotional and psychological behaviour.
The Honey Tap located at 176 Victoria street is a store that offers honey to customers. The Honey Tap is a habitat for bees, meaning that the honey is sourced from the store itself, directly from three taps connected to bulbs containing a beehive. Customers can source their honey form these bulbs (taps) upon walking in by just picking up one of the jars located on one of the two 'shelves'. The bees have access to flowers and foliage, which also grow from bulbs. They also have access to the outside. This is shown through the drawn diagram of the bulbs.
The aim of this assignment is to re-think retail and how we shop through the terms of Ihi and Wehi. The Honey Tap rethinks the way customers shop for honey as they gain a direct understanding of where the honey is sourced from, therefore appreciating the product. The Honey Tap is an interactive learning experience for customers, a place in which it is safe for bees to roam, free of cruelty and any harmful pests and chemicals. To make the learning experience of the importance of bees enjoyable, this would be a space in which customers could walk into the store, grab an empty jar and fill it with honey straight from the beehives.
LIGHTBOX
Reflecting my design of The Honey Tap was the study of light. This was to envision and project the atmosphere light creates in the design of the retail store.
Similar to The Honey Tap store, the lightbox I created is interactive, taking a literal approach through the inspiration of old-fashioned honey harvesting draws. Projected through the light of the lightbox is the intended atmosphere of The Honey Tap store, warm and slightly ethereal. The direct link between the lightbox and the retail store is the harvesting of honey.