Nespresso - Pavilion Pop-Up Boutique

Discipline : Interior Design

Categories : Commercial Space / Pop-Up Shop : Grand Winner

Nespresso has been expanding across Canada over the past 2 decades. The first expansion was meant to establish themselves in larger metropolitan areas. The next step was to fill in the gaps in secondary markets. This initiative leads us to Trois-Rivières, QC.

Trois-Rivières offered a market that was ripe for Nespresso as the customers of this region had to either drive to Montreal or Quebec City for their supply of Nespresso, or had to resort to online shopping for their daily dose.

However, before committing to a long-term lease deal and build-out costs of a new boutique, Nespresso wanted to test the market and Centre Les Rivieres became the first location internationally to launch their pop-up concept as a full boutique. 

The idea behind the concept lied in thinking ‘out of the box’ by actually creating a box! More accurately, creating a Pavilion where customers would be drawn inside the kiosk rather than walking around it. By doing so, shoppers are immersed in a heightened brand experience by being in an inline shop like setting. 

The design itself was based on the study of its primary product: the pod, including its shape and size. This is reflected in the display modules, ensuring a consistent reference to the pod. Other key features include: custom acrylic panels that allows passersby to subtly glimpse inside the kiosk, creating a seamless connection between the interior and exterior; the iconic signature 'pod wall'; an exploration/ tasting table offering a space for tasting, brand education, and personal one-on-one interactions; and all the available categories such as Coffee, Accessories, Machines and the Recycling corner.

The choice of materials conveys a message of authenticity, warmth, inclusiveness, and transparency that resonates with existing customers and attracts new and young buyers. The materials embody a natural, organic aesthetic, yet retain an air of refinement. The overall color scheme mirrors that of its permanent boutiques, maintaining brand consistency.

The new Pavilion pop-up design also utilizes modules that offer flexibility and adaptability to meet market demands. In this particular case, we maximized its dimensions by occupying 234 sq. ft., as opposed to the typical 200 sq. ft. Had the kiosk been standard size, the extra 2’ in width would have simply been allocated to the mall's circulation corridor. 

Overall, the final design seamlessly blends aesthetics with functionality and combines elegance with operational needs. Every architectural detail was meticulously developed to elevate the Nespresso brand and provide coffee lovers with a truly exceptional experience.

So has the Pavilion been a success? Although Nespresso typically collects sales data from a temporary location over a 12-24 month period before compiling a conclusive report, in the case of Trois-Rivières, it is evident that this market is long overdue for a permanent location. The local community enthusiastically embraced the arrival of the pop-up and lineups continue to form, months after its opening!

The project in images