Videotron’s flagship store is an audacious project directed by Sid Lee Architecture and Régis Côté et associés. The challenge was to create a space that would allow Videotron to showcase its service offering, rather than products, to customers of this highly competitive market, by way of dynamic new channels. It was imperative that the space physically convey Videotron’s ‘infinite power’ messaging. The flagship was brought to life in an existing retail building on St. Catherine Street, Montreal transformed by the team into an upscale store.
Sid Lee Architecture was essentially given carte blanche to come up with an environment that could create a unique brand experience. The architectural project was therefore custom-made for the client, combining architecture, interior design, arts, technology and brand identity. The experience of the store embodies the diversity of services offered by Videotron, integrating videos and interactivity into the store itself. The architecture and interior design were designed to create and host a crescendo of experience, from the visual stimulation of the façade to the interaction with salespeople, touch screens and interactive areas.
The team of architects on the project was able to capitalise on the new brand identity developed by Sid Lee, and worked closely with the communications team/copywriters/creative team to capture the messaging in the space. In addition to the yellow colour on a black background found throughout the store, the graphics that fill the space reflect Videotron’s marketing world. In other words, the personality of the space is imbued with the visual advertising codes of the company, whether through colours, graphics, lighting, video or print.
The best example is the interpretation of the symbolism of the cube that unfolds ‘to infinity’. Straight yellow lines on the façade are forming squares and rectangles by recombining endlessly, expressing the different forms of communication offered by Videotron (television, computers, cell phones, etc.). The same interplay between architecture, technology and brand identity inspired several elements throughout the building, including the yellow cube and the interactive phone located at the store entrance, the staircase showing customizable multimedia content, the interactive cylinders on the second floor, and the interactive bars showcasing the products.
