Maden Group: Homme is not just a store, but a unique experience of an urban environment within the context of a highly commercial space. Homme is a break from the usual shopping mall experience with a number of distinct aesthetic signs. The height gives the feeling of space and at the same time exposes the structure and ventilation of the space lighting systems.
Homme is a concept store known for its various options of clothing brands for men. Since the design is an extension of the already existing store, it was important to create a new visual marker that links the two floors together and adds to the identity of the store. The royal blue colored stairs, encircled by metal wires that act as a railway as well, do just that… and they invite the visitor to check out the newly designed space. The floors are rendered in ceramic tiles, the walls colored in plain gray whereas the ceiling is made of corrugated metal sheets. To further emphasize the urban identity of the design, scaffolding was used to display clothes and to create other elements within the retail function of the store. A three-meter high mirror mounted within the scaffolding is a visual marker of the store as well. The mirror gives another dimension to the space due to its size but also due to the surprising effect of seeing a mirror staying perfectly put inside a scaffolding. Another "urban" element to the store is the bar, which is made up of exposed black glass bricks. One can easily enjoy a drink as they look around for what clothes to buy in the store.
The back of the store opens to a terrace which is again another added surprise to the whole “shopping” experience. The calmness of this icy urban interior is continued in the terrace with opaque curtains surrounding the space and colorful chairs and tables. The urban environment would not be complete if it would not have pieces of contemporary art in it. The painting by Yll Xhaferi, a well-known contemporary artist in Kosovo, enriches the space and adds vibrancy to the calmness of the terrace.
Steel for shelving, tubular neon lights, a high ceiling and corrugated metal sheets, a glass brick bar with drinks and neon colored furniture, strengthen Homme’s reworked identity and combine a shopping experience with that of cocktail bar experience, while at the same time making the visitor completely forget that they are within a shopping center in the first place.
