Transforming Primark into a retail destination

Primark Birmingham - officially the largest retail store in the world - opened earlier this year and has recently been nominated for Best Store Design in the Drapers awards. Dalziel & Pow designed and influence key aspects of the Midlands’ newest fast-fashion mega-store, helping to create a key shopping destination.

A ‘city of stories’ concept lies at the heart of the store design, with localised touches calling out Birmingham’s friendly atmosphere and making shoppers feel at home. We conducted street interviews with the public to hear what people loved most about their hometown. This influenced key graphics and signage for the store, which feature local dialect and insights into city life, all communicated with a fun and affectionate tone of voice.

Superscale environmental graphics wrap around the atrium of the store, greeting shoppers as they make their way up the main escalators. A new cash desk concept with a range of back wall graphics adds personality and helps to spread the lively community messaging throughout the store, while iconic prints of Birmingham’s landmarks take pride of place.

Primark’s offering is strengthened through the beauty department – an updated design of our original concept. Sitting adjacent to the beauty services area, the department is all about making beauty fun and accessible, supporting Primark’s position as a trend-driven leader with strong stories around looks and seasonal makeup.

Our newly-designed fitting room concept, complete with a bold graphic palette and integrated vacancy system, uses colour, pattern and tone of voice to create a lively environment that draws customers in, making the fitting room experience fun, whilst also being convenient and efficient.

We also consulted with Primark on a number of elements that were incorporated into the design of the store. Taking the place of the former Pavilions shopping centre, the 160,000 sq ft site has a public thoroughfare running through the store – from the Moor Street Station entrance in the Basement to the High Street entrance at Ground Floor level and onto New Street Station beyond. We influenced the circulation plans for navigating this connection and the multi-floor layout and consulted on the best ways to use the space. Knowing that the expansion of customer services was a key requirement, it was suggested that Primark could introduce an extended offer – including beauty services, hairdressing and a variety of strategically positioned food and beverage offers – located along this public passage to maximise footfall and extend dwell time.