Retail banking design is a revolutionary force. Even the most traditionally institutionalised sectors can and are wielding this power of reinvention. That is why retail banking design transformations are a trend that the world is set to see more of.

Banking has long been a sector where price reigned supreme. Retail banking design ushers in a new age of priorities. Standing at the fore now are strong long-standing customer relationships based on meaningful transactions and impeccable service. Retail banking design does not just name customer service as chief priority. Rather, this discipline builds such service into the physical branches and intangible spirit of a bank.

Metro Bank is forging ahead, continually opening new branches. Metro Bank recognises that its branches provide a vital channel through which to reach out and build relationships with its customers. Branches are the heart of a bank’s service offer and delivery. When customers receive exceptional convenience, personalised service and smooth seamless satisfaction of their goals, they relish interactions with their bank. This means loyalty, repeat business and strong relationships between bank and customer.

Metro Bank focuses on delivering unparalleled convenience and service for its customers, right from their first encounter. Recognising that many customers cannot make it to the bank within regular working hours, Metro offers extended opening hours from 8am-8pm, seven days a week. Drive-through banking is also a huge hit, meaning customers can perform several banking transactions without even having to step out of their car.

The transformative hand of retail banking design is everywhere you turn at Metro Bank. Even before you step inside a Metro Bank branch, the premises is remarkably distinct:

• Unique banking hall layout with no cubicles, walled meeting spaces or cramped service areas
• Open, airy, contemporary textiles with plenty of glass
• Visible customer journey mapping using black tiles on white to designate direct routes to service zones
• Lollipops are on offer to keep children happy and even dog treats are available to pooches visiting with their owners
• Up-to-the-minute technology offering customers conveniences like access to new accounts, fully functioning credit cards and online banking applications all set up on the spot within minutes

Plus, it has these convenience features:

• Puppy friendly
• Longer hours and weekends so people who work can actually visit
• Toilets in branch for customers
• Safety deposit boxes

Retail banking design is an influential disruptor. Where you see banks prioritise customer service, reimagine traditional banking spaces and make customers feel welcome and important from word one, that is retail banking design at work.

Technology makes the modern world go round and this is no less true of the retail market. Retail technology is a key enabler of enhanced customer experience. Progressively minded restaurant owners seeking to future-proof their establishments are increasingly turning to retail technology as a means to elevate operating efficiency, streamline service and brand loyalty high.

Retail technology delivers seamlessness of service that customers eat up by the plateful. Take Sushi Hon Izakaya’s tablet ordering system for example. Customers’ love of instant gratification is fed thanks to making a personal iPad available to every table. Customers can browse the wealth of Japanese delicacies at their leisure, weighing up choices including udon noodle bowls, bento boxes and trendy poke salads that are currently taking the eatery world by storm. Once they have made their selection, customers can order via iPad and have their order delivered directly to the kitchen. No more waiting for wait staff to take orders. Hungry customers have the added bonus of minimal wait times before their splendid Japanese cuisine hits their table too thanks to the direct line of ordering from patron to kitchen. This is retail technology at its finest.

Sushi Hon Restaurant Broadway adds another dimension to the tablet ordering system. In keeping with the fusion of modern and traditional Japanese dining, one of the brand’s ex-sushi chefs created a striking sushi graphic that is used as a home screen for the digital tablet menu. It also features in the premises as a breathtaking mural building brand story and recognition. In this way, retail technology can also be used as a way to enhance brand cut-through.

Retail technology brings the best of the web to the table of consumers who are spoilt for dining choice. Eliminating queues and ordering delays while minimising time-to-table are just three profound ways in which retail technology can revolutionise your restaurant as it has with Sushi Hon. Design Clarity are your expert retail technology partner so when you are ready to infuse this game-changing ingredient into your restaurant operation, speak with this team first.

Food courts have come a long way thanks to retail and hospitality design. Gone are the conglomerations of kiosk versions of cheap fast food joints. Now you can savour boutique beers, gourmet cuisine, barista coffee and a host of dynamic global flavours and premium service, all in the middle of a retail shopping centre. In fact, food court design has effected such an evolution that these hubs are now more commonly known as dining precincts to reflect their new sophistication and attention to detail.

Essentially hospitality design elevates consumer experiences through upscale urban dining spaces. Now consumers can explore popular eateries right alongside emerging hospitality brands and fresh breakout restaurants all in one spot. The result? A precinct of rich, diverse and an exciting variety of cuisines. Under the artful hand of hospitality design, dining precincts are no longer just a place for consumers to refuel before continuing their real goal of shopping. Today’s dining precincts are destinations in their own right with all the vibes, casual dining appeal, operational efficiency and atmosphere of high-end restaurants.

Take Central Kitchen in Sydney’s iconic Central Park complex. Here hospitality design specialist, Design Clarity has interwoven all the ingredients of a spectacular dining experience into a forward thinking mall dining model.

The design was centered on the customers and environment. Central Kitchen was designed to embrace the global village nature of this major mixed-use urban development and appeal to a youthful demographic of energetic, global visitors.

The design was centred on the customers and environment. Central Kitchen was designed to embrace the global village nature of this major mixed-use urban development and appeal to a youthful demographic of energetic, global visitors.

Central Kitchen occupies over 4000sqm with seating capacities of 650 inside and 54 outdoors. Fresh natural light fills the surrounds and diners can look out over the glorious Chippendale Green. True to form, smart food court design does not leave indoor diners wanting for a view. Vibrant vertical gardens and eye-catching Eboy wall art keeps visual boredom beautifully at bay.

Every palate will find something to delight in at Central Kitchen. Spicy Mexican, experimental fusion, trendy street food and much more can be shared at communal tables. Hospitality designers recognise that consumers come with diverse proclivities and preferences so Central Kitchen tailors its offerings to match.

Fire up the furnace of your dining precinct with hospitality design of the future. Speak with Design Clarity today or check out more of their recent hospitality design portfolio.

Retail design is all about building emotional connections between consumer and brand. That is why the right retail design specialists are experienced storytellers who author tales of consumer captivation for your retail business. Essentially successful retail design humanises your brand, paving the way for your business to build meaningful long-term relationships with consumers through memorable experiences.

Consumers are human beings with an innate desire to belong. Simply educating consumers as to how your retail offer can benefit them is not enough to cultivate a sense of belonging. Yet when your design is built on storytelling you draw consumers into your brand story making them feel valued and part of something bigger than themselves. In other words, your retail design engenders a sense of belonging.

House of Bonds latest concept stores provide an example of retail design founded on storytelling. Here Design Clarity turned artful storytelling into a ‘fountain of youth’ for the iconic 100-year old heritage brand. Bonds has always been a staple in Australian wardrobes, so the brand enjoyed the privileged position of having an established emotional connection with consumers. Leveraging Bonds’ unique heritage, Design Clarity built a story around ‘100 years of comfy’ which encapsulated the Bonds’ legacy.

Traditional Bonds advertisements are integrated into new modern minimalistic fitting rooms with retro washing lines overhead and weatherboard panelled doors. Cheeky chat was introduced as a fun youthful retail design touch, demonstrating that Bonds may be a heritage brand but it is still relevant and connected with all age groups right up to today.

Bonds is vast collection covering a broad customer spectrum so Design Clarity leveraged retail design to make it easier for everyone to shop. Store space is divided into specific consumer precincts then easily identifiable stories were built through imagery, retail display and smart signage.

Design Clarity ensured that House of Bonds told a captivating story – one that loyal consumers would want to share with others. That means ramped up retail design, brand breakthrough and consumer conversion.

Concept stores are cutting new ground in the modern retail space. No longer are physical retail spaces simply a place to hold wares and purchase points. Instead, progressive concept stores work hand in glove with e-commerce initiatives to provide fulfillment for consumers’ purchasing desires that they have explored online. But concept stores are much more than that even. They offer tangible sensory real-life experiences that speak directly to their target consumers’ lifestyles. In a nutshell, concept stores become a lifestyle destination for customers. They foster customer engagement and brand advocacy, represent the brand’s values, create a brand culture and connection with the local community. 

So why shop in a physical space rather than online? Digitalisation has undoubtedly transformed the retail sector in incredible ways. Yet online shopping cannot replace human touch, the sensory experience and the enjoyment that consumers derive from face-to-face service while shopping. Retail therapy is a favourite channel through which to treat oneself on holiday, relish time with family and friends, put together new attire for upcoming social occasions and much more. Where the service add-ons and tactility cannot be replicated online. Here is where these type of stores reimagine the traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ retail shop and give this a whole new meaning ripe with potential.

Concept stores are a powerful retail force. Yet the right execution is key otherwise a concept store may be nothing short of a big investment that falls flat in return value. Design Clarity specialise in crafting vibrant evocative concept stores that take consumers on an unforgettable journey of discovery and inspiration.

Iconic surf lifestyle brand Quiksilver worked with Design Clarity to create concept Boardriders stores in both Torquay, Victoria and Coolangatta, Queensland. Brand submergence was the order of the day and each store played to its unique consumer catchment.

Both Quiksilver stores immerse consumers in the brand with internet surfing bar, barber shop and even dedicated space to host branding events and parties. A full-size live music stage complete with lighting and sound ensure up to 100 people can party and celebrate while being fully immersed in the Quiksilver brand. True to branding theme, a now signature surfboard carousel stretches across much of the store ceiling and wraps down the facade over the entry. Meanwhile consumers can partake in refreshments in the fully equipped café presented in natural timbers and relaxed vibe reminiscent of a coastal beach hut. The Coolangatta concept store even offers consumers weekly beach yoga classes and all signature touchpoints elevate the experience and give a deeper connection with the brand DNA.

Immersive experiential concept stores represent a key dimension in the future of retail. Design Clarity is your retail design specialist across Australia. Speak to the team today to discuss the opportunities concept stores hold for your retail offer.

One of the meatiest trends facing restaurant designers right now is the rapid rise of vegan restaurants. In 2016, Australia was already the third fastest-growing vegan market in the world and it hasn’t slowed its roll. Vegan restaurants speak volumes to anyone who consider their road to a healthier more ethical diet is paved by vegetables, grains, fruits and alternative milks.

Vegan restaurants are experiencing a surge in popularity for a variety of reasons, including:

• Social media extensively promotes healthier lifestyles
• Vegan options are increasingly accessible and tasty
• That coveted Millennials market is making vegan restaurants even more of a hip choice. Increasing numbers of young people are cutting meat and dairy out their diets for both health and ethical reasons
• Celebrity vegans are further feeding the uprising of veganism. Think Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, Russell Brand, Mort Zuckerman, even Bill Clinton

Restaurant designers know that the market in which they work is always a moving feast. Consumer attitudes shape and transform design trends and the rise of veganism is no different.

The right restaurant designers know just how to wholly embrace and express the uniqueness of a vegan eatery’s brand and offer. Naturally not every vegan eatery is the same either. Matcha Mylkbar in Melbourne has sleek earthy tones, vibrant coloured wholefoods and natural pottery plates. Meanwhile, Smith&Daughters serves up a more rustic environment with fresh chillis growing instore courtesy of freestanding mini vegetable gardens. Old photos and artwork adorn the walls and exposed brick provides a rustic warmth. Restaurant designers have had a hand here in crafting distinctive ambience, branding and consumer targeting that works to the utmost advantage of the respective vegan restaurants.

Design Clarity are talented restaurant designers that can infuse your vegan eatery with all the essential ingredients for success. Our award-winning work speaks for itself. You can get a taste of what we can bring to your vegan restaurant by browsing our portfolio of recent work, including:

• Corbett & Claude – Bar Pizza Share
• Din Tai Fung
• Moo Moo Bar & Grill

Retail innovation recognises that the way businesses go to market are and must continue to evolve alongside the constantly changing retail environment. When it comes to leveraging retail innovation trends for better business, knowledge is nine tenths of the law. Here are four major trends that are propelling retail forward right now:

1. Omni-channel shopping experience: get flexible in your online and offline shopping experience delivery. The omni-channel is a prime driver of up-to-the-minute retail innovation. Here, the worlds of e-commerce and in-store shopping merge to deliver the best possible experience for your consumers. Technology is your friend and possibly your greatest ally in achieving an optimum omni-channel experience. Think automated food ordering, interactive retail storefronts and much more. Technology drives retail innovation
2. Interactions: there are so many touch-points where your consumers connect with all aspects of your retail offer. Your technologies, your staff, your consumer communities, your brand, even your organisation. Retail innovation relishes the challenge of elevating business operations to meet the complex demands of modern consumers. Take all the functional advantages your online shopping platform has to offer while keeping the spotlight on those all-important human interactions
3. Brand storytelling: intensive storytelling is a core currency of retail innovation. A great-looking brand simply does not cut it. The foundation of your branding must be powerful content. Getting down to the real nitty-gritty by weaving an intensive story throughout your brand. There are few more compelling ways to speak to your consumers
4. Social responsibility: put purpose behind your retailing. Certainly profit is a core part of retailing, yet retail innovation is increasingly revealing the importance of making a meaningful social difference. Your particular business purpose may take the form of a sustainability focus, contributions to the community or even a unique workplace culture.

One thing is for certain: the retail landscape will continue to evolve and grow. Design Clarity are recognised leaders in retail innovation. These creative leaders combine strategy and design to make meaningful connections between people and brands. Design Clarity’s impressive portfolio encompasses retail samples including:

• House of Bonds, Doncaster, VIC
• Tigerlily, Pacific Fair, Gold Coast, QLD

Restaurant transformations are on the menu for 2018, driven by several key market trends. Opportunities a-plenty lie within this fabric of change. To capitalise on such opportunities, you need to be across restaurant transformations trends for the coming year. It is a bold new world with a host of exciting emergences.

Making a meal out of Millennials: increased frequency in dining out can be a gift-horse for restaurants. What a magnificent opportunity the Millennials market presents – but to snare your corner of this market, you will likely have to turn your mind to restaurant transformations. Millennials dine out two or three times more than any other generation to date, but they are also more discerning. Millennials relish trying out new eateries and yearn for genuine experiences that really resonate with them. Think past merely amazing food towards crafting an entire memorable experience. One that ‘trigger-happy’ Millennials will share enthusiastically online.

Storytelling begets experiences: feeding off the Millennial appetite for memorable dining experiences, modern restaurant transformations make experiences a cornerstone for all. Here is where storytelling can fasten your restaurant firmly in the mind of Millennials and other key consumer groups. Be sure to tailor your story to your audience. Restaurant transformations can be achieved on the strength of the stories with which you infuse your diners’ experiences. Tease out all the factors that make your restaurant unique: where you source your produce, the experience of your chef, what inspires your restaurant theme and much more. Social media is bound together by a host of stories so get yours shared in full living colour.

Get social media on your side: Instagram could be the difference between whether you get Millennials’ bums on seats or not. Millennials adore trying places for new experiences. Engrossing photos of food, décor and other happy Millennial consumers at your establishment can work wonders in wooing this influential market through your doors. Here is where Instagram can really shine. Instagram is a treasure trove of scrumptious food photos and interior design style, and your restaurant needs to have every backdrop or vista as an Insta-worthy talking point. These do more than simply whet the appetite of dining-out aficionado Millennials. Rather, such photos are so often the decider as to whether Millennials will come to dine. More and more Millennials are turning to Instagram to select where to eat and what to eat when they get there. Target your restaurant to align closely with your desired consumers’ habits, proclivities, rituals and more to achieve a truly Instagrammable restaurant. This is the stuff successful restaurant transformations are made of.

Restaurant designs craft enriched customer experience. So too does Design Clarity.  We design spaces and experiences that unite your brand and customer. Check out some of our recent restaurant transformation is our portfolio of work, including:

• Sushi Hon Izakaya
• Nandos Westfield Penrith
• Laurent Boulangerie & Patisserie

Top international design agency Design Clarity is a creative leader that unites people and brands. Leveraging the best in strategy and design, we craft enriched customer experiences through inspired spaces.

Every business has a unique sense of place. How well and cohesively this is articulated to key audiences can vary greatly however. As a top international design agency, Design Clarity knows precisely how to mobilise every success factor of your brand, premises and strategy to achieve transformative outcomes.

Our unique four step method sets us apart. We deliver stand-out results for retail, banking, technology and hospitality through:

• Discover: we explore and analyse all aspects of your core consumers, brand vision and wider commercial environment to deliver enhanced customer experiences
• Ideate: we collaborate with you to connect customers to your brand through vibrant intensely thought out retail experiences
• Design: we craft wholly customised designs that are agile enough to empower almost any space you can imagine. A key part of design for Design Clarity is markedly enhancing your brand ROI through iconic branding language
• Deliver: as you would expect from a top international design agency, Design Clarity takes you right through from research to execution and delivery.

Design Clarity recognises that diverse markets around the world need superlative design expertise now more than ever. So many environmental factors are evolving at the rate of knots. Technology, consumer expectations, shopping habits, decision-making influences, competition – the list goes on. Carving out a distinctive niche and having the agility to confidently not only handle change but capitalise on it: this is the challenge of modern businesses. Fortunately top international design agency is on hand in key Australian and UK metropolitan centres to deliver such expertise. We are based in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia alongside London, UK. From these locations, we achieve powerful project outcomes such as those we have delivered for:

• House of Bonds – Doncaster, VIC
• Lexmark
• Browns Brasserie & Bar, Bristol
• Corbett & Claude – Bar Pizza Share

Restaurant transformation draws attention, loyalty and revitalised brand cut-through. When you recognise the immense commercial value in reimagining your restaurant premise as a unique vibrant space, the right creative leaders can help you achieve top-impact restaurant transformation. Design Clarity is an award-winning international design agency that specialises in crafting bespoke restaurant environments that achieve inimitable commercial results.

As you would expect, restaurant transformation demands a meeting of minds between the visionary and the practical. Design Clarity balances boundless professional expertise with cutting-edge creative flair. This means we bring you the best in cohesive strategy and design to deliver enriched experiences across the board. All your key stakeholders will revel in Design Clarity-driven restaurant transformation, including patrons, staff, visitors and of course you as restaurant owner. Our wholly scalable site-specific solutions deliver:

• Outstanding customer to brand connectivity thanks to multi-disciplinary exploration and consideration of key touch points
• United strategic and visionary design that optimises all kerbside features, crafts a compelling premises frontage and first impression and continues such magic all the way to back of house
• Iconic brand language that weaves your unique restaurant personality, offer and values into the very tapestry of your premises
• Enlivened restaurant environments that connect with your target market and their specific proclivities in powerful ways
• Seamless service flow with zero wasted space and strategically planned layout ensuring staff maintain optimum productivity and motivation

Restaurant transformation can craft engaging design solutions and restaurant experiences that turn your establishment’s fortunes on their head. Radically reinvigorate your niche brand position, market share and success by partnering with creative leaders, Design Clarity. You can even see some of Design Clarity’s recent restaurant transformation projects. Simply browse the Design Clarity portfolio to more fully understand the immense impact restaurant transformation can have on your business. You will find projects such as:

• Laurent Boulangerie & Patisserie
• The Tramsheds, Sydney
• Sushi Hon Restaurant Broadway