Razer has debuted its first Global flagship store in London, opening a two-storey store in Charing Cross Road. The store immerses customers in an atmospheric environment where chroma-change lighting is set against a dramatic background of black and concrete textures and colours.
Driven by the mission to create the ‘what’s next’ of gaming spaces; YourStudio worked closely with Razer’s team and Crombie Design in Singapore to develop the proposition – a new and next-gen environment that sets the pace for future stores.
The design concept is both sculptural and striking carves the two-storey space into a dramatic series of immersive areas. Product is mounted throughout to encourage ‘play’ with retractable drawers that gamers are able to pull out to see Razer’s innovative kit. An immersive e-sports mini-arena, Gaming Area Consultation Zones are set against striking backdrops that feature the brand’s marketing and branding comms, often haloed in green light.
The design intends to gamify guests’ shopping experience, with interactive light installations that blur the boundaries between the physical and the digital. The use of the strong grayscale and concrete material palette, with a grid-like lighting framework, gives guests the experience of being inside the digital world. Lighting is set within fixtures and architectural walls, such as the basement’s e-sports area, connecting each person with the architectural spaces as the lighting subtly modifies. This links back to Razer’s signature Chroma lighting system, which brings gaming to life through light-changing computer gaming accessories.
On entering the store, guests are drawn into Razer’s top products with a dramatic rhythmic troop of plinths showing hero products that will be constantly refreshed. A shoppable exhibition wall which runs the length of the store shows an anatomical description of the key products with categories to shop beneath. Consultation and product play areas have been created to encourage one-to-one conversations between gamers and hosts pf the store.
Drawing the gaming community together, the e-sports arena in the basement has been created to connect the gaming community with a regular programme of talks and events hosted in an inspiring and shape-shifting space.
The store is located at 51-53 Charing Cross Rd, London, WC2H 7PZ
