Gaggenau x La Marzocco: architecture
Creating the flagship experience
An architectural discussion between two like-minded, luxury European brands regarding their approaches to creating flagship showrooms in Sydney. Hendrik Müller, architects of Gaggenau showrooms, Founder & CEO of 1zu33 & Alex Jennings Head of People and Property for La Marzocco discuss the importance of brand spaces for luxury brands.
The Magazine: It feels somewhat misleading to use the term ‘showroom’ as it conjures up outdated notions of rows of shiny products and pushy salespeople. The spaces you both create are very different, could you describe them?
Hendrik: Today, when people leave their computers and venture out into the real world, they want the experience to be worth it. What they’re looking for, is not to see products, but to be involved in a larger experience.
When you walk into the Sydney Gaggenau showroom it is pretty much divided into three sections. The first is the social hub; a space for people to mingle and engage with staff, enjoying wine or coffee. Not exclusive, inclusive,
Then there’s a bottleneck which we call ‘The difference of Gaggenau’. It’s a small chapel, a very intimate space, clad with dark, Douglas fir wood from the Black Forest. Within, you come to a deeper understanding of the brand’s identity and purpose, which I think is very important. Moving from there to the rear part of the showroom we not only show the appliances but to also give context by using kitchen scenarios. Finally, you find this lovely courtyard at the very back which is probably a surprise to most people.
Alex: When you enter La Marzocco from the street you’ve got this sensory overload because you can see, hear and smell everything. Being a former warehouse, we’ve got wonderful high ceilings, a lot of light, you can hear the machinery being used, you can hear the conversation. So it really does invite you in to this beautiful space where you can see the entire journey come to life. We have quite a number of Gaggenaus and that was on purpose, it gives customers an opportunity to see both brands in a real life environment. Gaggenau integrates beautifully with our product, it works really, really well. It’s pretty special.
The Magazine: How do you choose a site, what attributes must it possess?
Hendrik: I think what we’re always looking for is originality, and of course the context. I think Sydney is one of the best examples because it’s in a lively cultivated neighbourhood and being the former post office, it’s a building with a story. The character of the building, not dictates, but inspires what we are doing, we try to be respectful towards cultural and historic aspects. We’re not following any recipes, we let things happen. There is this funny word we use: never try to be “choogy” about it, things should look relaxed, not reproduced.
Alex: It does need to have its own character. Similarly to Hendrik, we don’t want cookie cutter. We were really lucky with Botany because even though it is a factory, it somehow has its own personality. It’s in an interesting, gentrifying area, so this there’s a lot of like-minded businesses around as well, which works with our brand.
The Magazine: Far from faceless, polished corporate lobbies, your spaces delight in the details; you build emotion into the structure. Are you creating something akin to ‘homes’ for the brand?
Hendrik: For me, we are answering three questions: what Gaggenau is, does and likes, while also ensuring that when people come in, they feel comfortable. ‘The difference of Gaggenau’ shows what Gaggenau is, the appliances in situ show what they do. The ‘likes’ question is the fun part for me because here you can introduce La Marzocco coffee machines and furniture from other brands that we associate with Gaggenau, offering more touch points. Many will discover a kind of like-mindedness between themselves, their aspirations and our offerings.
Alex: It was crucial for us to create a space with our architect Daniel Moore, that made you feel comfortable and at ease the moment you walked through the door, whilst still generating a powerful impact that encompasses the innovation and beauty of our products. We knew from the beginning of the project that this wasn’t ‘our’ space. It was not only for the coffee and hospitality community, but for the wider community as a whole.
We open our doors so that they can use our equipment, our space, work with our staff and take their customers on a journey. By offering that as a business and as a company to our customers, it makes them feel at home.
The Magazine: In order to impress or be memorable, (if that is an intention) do you need to create an emotional connection, or is there something else that achieves your desired results?
Hendrik: I think it’s very much about the overall atmosphere when you enter the space that will make a difference. I keep repeating this quote, “There’s no second chance for a first impression”. You will decide within a second if you like something, if you’re really attracted, if you want to be part of it or not. What we’re really trying to create is a meaningful experience and there’s a lot of storytelling we try to translate, the brand identity and its values, into physical, architectural context. That really separates one brand from another, not what they do, but how they do it. What matters most is, especially our busy digital lives, is what’s remembered two weeks after their visit. The impressions, the notions that they get from seeing and touching things and the details they remember
Alex: We designed our spaces so that we can take people on an elevated journey with us, influenced by our home in Florence, Italy. Understanding the product, getting hands-on experience and having that connection to the history is a really key part of what sets apart a luxury brand from the ordinary. It makes you feel like you’ve actually become part of something special; you’ve become part of the fabric of La Marzocco.
You are welcome to visit either the Gaggenau flagships or the La Marzocco showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne, please see websites for details.
