<br\/><br\/><IMG title="" alt="" src="http:\/\/www.designboom.com\/\/cms\/images\/ridcue\/barb03.jpg" width=550
\nheight=410><br\/><FONT size=1>'barbie' flagship store, shanghai by slade
\narchitecture<br\/>image ? iwan baan courtesy slade architecture<\/FONT><br\/><br\/>new
\nyork based firm <A href="http:\/\/www.sladearch.com\/" target=_blank>slade
\narchitecture<\/A> has designed the first ever <br\/><A
\nhref="http:\/\/www.barbieshanghai.com\/en\/lobby.html" target=_blank>barbie flagship
\nstore<\/A> for mattel in shanghai. the store recently<br\/>opened coinciding with
\nthe icon's 50th anniversary. the 35,000 square foot <br\/>store holds the world's
\nlargest and most comprehensive collection of <br\/>barbie dolls and licensed
\nbarbie products, as well as a range of services <br\/>and activities for barbie
\nfans and their families. <br\/><br\/>slade's design encompasses barbie of the past,
\npresent and future. for<br\/>the facade they combined references to product
\npackaging, decorative arts, <br\/>fashion and architectural iconography to create
\na modern identity for the <br\/>store, expressing barbie's cutting-edge fashion
\nsense and history. <br\/>the facade is made of two layers: molded, translucent
\npolycarbonate interior <br\/>panels and flat exterior glass panels printed with a
\nwhimsical lattice frit <br\/>pattern. <br\/><br\/><IMG title="" alt=""
\nsrc="http:\/\/www.designboom.com\/\/cms\/images\/ridcue\/barb02.jpg" width=550 height=367><br\/><FONT size=1>three
\nstory spiral staircase<br\/><\/FONT><FONT size=1>image ? iwan baan courtesy slade
\narchitecture<\/FONT><br\/><br\/>the central feature is a three-story spiral staircase
\nenclosed by eight hundred <br\/>barbie dolls. the staircase and the dolls are the
\ncore of the store; everything <br\/>literally revolves around barbie. <br\/><br\/>the
\nstaircase links the three retail floors: the women's floor (women's fashion,
\n<br\/>couture, cosmetics and accessories). the doll floor (dolls, designer doll
\ngallery, <br\/>doll accessories, books). the barbie design center, where girls
\ndesign their own <br\/>barbie is on this floor. the girls floor (girls fashion,
\nshoes and accessories). <br\/>the barbie fashion stage, planned and designed by
\nchute gerdeman retail, where <br\/>girls take part in a real runway show, is also
\non this floor.<br\/><br\/><IMG title="" alt="" src="http:\/\/www.designboom.com\/\/cms\/images\/ridcue\/barb04.jpg"
\nwidth=550 height=367><br\/><FONT size=1>'barbie' store interior<br\/><\/FONT><FONT
\nsize=1>image ? iwan baan courtesy slade architecture<\/FONT><br\/><br\/><IMG title=""
\nalt="" src="http:\/\/www.designboom.com\/\/cms\/images\/ridcue\/barb05.jpg" width=550 height=349><br\/><FONT
\nsize=1>'barbie' store entrance<br\/><\/FONT><FONT size=1>image ? iwan baan courtesy
\nslade architecture<\/FONT><br\/><br\/><IMG title="" alt=""
\nsrc="http:\/\/www.designboom.com\/\/cms\/images\/ridcue\/barb06.jpg" width=550 height=376><br\/><FONT size=1>l:
\nconstruction cover of store r: lobby<br\/><\/FONT><FONT size=1>image ? iwan baan
\ncourtesy slade architecture<\/FONT><br\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
<br\/><br\/&g… more