UAE. Retail Concepts Design (RCD), the company behind the design of Dubai Duty Free’s new Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 retail area, is seeking to develop further travel retail projects globally.
T3 is dedicated to Emirates Airlines and opened on 14 October.
RCD Managing Director Stewart Caddick said the company can offer airport authorities an understanding of retailer and shopper needs, following its experience with the award-winning retailer. Caddick has worked as a store planning and design consultant to Dubai Duty Free since 1997 (initially as Managing Director with Portland).
With several years experience working with Dubai Duty Free’s senior management team, RCD was appointed by the Department of Civil Aviation Authority to carry out the T3 retail project. The assignment comprised 16 units in Departures (5,000sq m), two units in Arrivals (2,000sq m) and four landside units (800sq m).
Commenting on the partnership with RCD, Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Colm McLoughlin said: “We have worked with Stewart and his team since 2000 when they were with Portland Design, and it was important to have that kind of experience together going forward to T3, which was a massive project. We are very pleased with the outcome of the new retail offer and feedback so far from passengers has been very positive.”
RCD has worked closely with Dubai Duty Free on the design issues, while also project managing the construction process. Local company Deco was contracted to build the units. Separately RCD was also engaged by Dubai Duty Free to manage the design and implementation of the 243 vendor installations within the duty free shops.
Planning and conceptualization
Retail space was allotted by the airport company with much input from Dubai Duty Free in terms of circulation and space allocation – in some cases with “significant” effect, Caddick explained. “We were able to determine the location of moving walkways and “˜reclaimed’ space at the entrance of the main concourse that was originally allocated to a children’s play area. This is now the Gifts from Dubai destination offer and the first retail offering that passengers see when entering the concourse from the terminal.”
RCD also worked with Dubai Duty Free in allocating merchandise categories to various outlets and zoning the offer according to anticipated passenger flows. “For example, we identified the route that First and Business class passengers will take on entering the Concourse and have located the luxury zone (perfumes & cosmetics, one of the two liquor and tobacco offers, watches and gold and jewellery) on that route to optimise exposure to premium shoppers and thereby maximise potential revenue,” Caddick continued.
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To encourage passengers to move freely in and out of the outlets, Dubai Duty Free adopted an open frontage approach |
In order to add to the retail theatre, the retailer opted for a specially designed 22m long curved LED screen to be located at the entrance zone to the main departures concourse, said Caddick. The screen and associated structure was custom built in the US by the leaders in the field of digital screens, Daktronics.
In addition Dubai Duty Free was keen to ensure that payment transactions could be executed in the shortest possible time, enabling passengers to optimise their shopping time. “We have analysed the passenger flow and strategically positioned cash and wrap or check-out units to ensure the shopper is never far from being able to pay and that the process will be as quick as possible. In this both parties spent considerable time over the past few years developing the design of the check-out units with NCR.”
To meet the adaptability, quality and durability needs of Dubai Duty Free, RCD used the Visplay system from Germany for much of the merchandising system and procured all the laminates and finishes from Europe. The fixturing has also been detailed to ensure protection against trolleys and luggage.
To encourage passengers to move freely in and out of the outlets, Dubai Duty Free adopted an open frontage approach. There are no windows or doors to any of the shops either in the baggage hall (Arrivals) or Concourse (Departures).
The retailer also wanted to maintain a strong brand presence throughout the retail offer and to constantly remind the passenger where they are. RCD addressed this by balancing the branding of the vendors with that of Dubai Duty Free, which as the “˜host brand’ is clearly identified on the fascias and at the point of sale with subtle embossed branding, said Caddick. Use of signage typography is also consistent throughout the retail area.
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RCD reclaimed space at the entrance of the main concourse and transformed a children’s play area into the Gifts from Dubai destination offer – the first retail offering that passengers see when entering the concourse from the terminal |
Shop Features
Gold has been located in a dedicated retail unit (unlike in T1 where it is at the central entrance) to create a stronger instore ambience appropriate to the category, said RCD. Design features include extensive use of the 24ct gold leaf, darkened ceilings with over 500 individual fibre optic lights (suggesting diamonds) and a shopfront showcase containing an amethyst rock sourced from Columbia, South America. The concept was to create a sense of opulent luxury while accommodating the functional requirements of one of Dubai Duty Free’s most popular offers, RCD added.
Retail directory – RCD has developed the retail directory which will also act as a wayfinding guide for the general services and food and beverage facilities.
Retail Pods – The central departures concourse walkway (over 500m in length), flanked by retail units on either side, contains a number of “˜retail pods’. “These were conceived by us as expanded versions of the carts and kiosks that are typically found in malls,” Caddick explained. “The design of these units enables them to be “˜shopped in the round’ and experience from T1 with conventional carts has proven that this concept is highly lucrative – particularly with the more impulse-driven categories. A real benefit is that they help draw the passenger along the retail boulevard, providing extra attraction points.”
Some of these pod areas have been allocated to specific brands and provide a high-impact product showcase, said RCD. These include Vertu, Frey Wille, Swatch, Swarovski and even a Lindt mini chocolate factory (with live chocolate-making sessions).
The remainder of the pods have been equipped to deal with an array of merchandise – from pashminas to toy camels, and will be used by Dubai Duty Free to market destination products (particularly related to Dubai events – tennis, horse races, golf etc) as well as trialing and showcasing new launches.
“This has been a massive project, one where real cooperation and partnership between us and Dubai Duty Free, as well as the Department of Civil Aviation has been absolutely paramount,” concluded Caddick. “It has been an exercise where all parties have brought ideas and suggestions to the table; the end result being a retail environment which is in a class of its own and which will ensure maximum benefit for all parties concerned – including the passengers.”
RCD is a specialist retail consultancy whose expertise extends to concession planning, retail design and project management. The firm has recently completed projects for Marks & Spencer, Intersport and Raymond Weil.
For more information e-mail info@retailconcepts.ae or contact Stewart Caddick, Managine Director, RCD, tel: + 971 4 338 8466, fax: + 971 4 338 4060, e-mail: stewart@retailconcepts.ae. Visit www.rcd.ae.
MORE STORIES ON DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT T3 AND DUBAI DUTY FREE
Dubai Duty Free launches Multi-Millionaire promotion – 26/10/08
Landmark day in UAE aviation and travel retail as Dubai International Airport T3 opens – 14/10/08
Dubai Airports, Dubai Duty Free and Emirates showcase new T3 ahead of next week’s opening – 09/10/08
