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Westminster
£250,000 to £499,999
Alteration to existing property, Within a Conservation Area
Design, delivery, bespoke furniture design and project management of a new retail store for Tracksmith within the Portman Estate Chiltern Street conservation area in central London. Independent American running brand Tracksmith has opened London Trackhouse, its first flagship store in the UK, designed by London architects Andy Matthews Studio. Situated at 25 Chiltern Street, Marylebone, the shop was first used as a pop-up venue by Tracksmith in Autumn 2022. Work began on site in December 2022 and was completed in just four months, in time for the London Marathon. Working collaboratively with Tracksmith, our approach was to blend the practical elements needed for a lively retail space with their signature collegiate-focused brand. The result is a warm palette of materials including walnut, brass, oak and terrazzo as well as elements unique to the London store, such as an abstracted running track across the ground floor that helps guide and invites customers to venture downstairs. The language of the furniture and materials was driven by the understanding of the brand and its presentation through imagery and film, as well as references such as gyms, lockers and collegiate-type environments. The tones and textures in the materials were carefully chosen to enhance the presentation of the brand - walnut and brass are rich and welcoming, but also materials that will age well and take on a patina of wear and tear that is welcome rather than fought. The furniture design was designed to have a consistent feel around the store with vertical gym bar elements unifying them, whilst taking on various requirements and functions in the space. Other materials, such as terrazzo, are used for the counters for instance. The client had a key requirement: to design a bespoke shelving and display system that can be adapted to suit the changing needs of retail displays throughout the year. The designs for the shelves are modular and adaptable, and based on a similar frame idea to the main cabinetry. Decked in navy blue frontage, the store confidently stands amongst several prestigious spaces in the areas such as neighbouring Monocle and all within the Portman Estate Chiltern Street Conservation Area. “Andy Matthews Studio were an invaluable partner for our global retail expansion. Their expertise, attention to craft and detail, and collaboration with other stakeholders in the process were all critical. Yet what our team appreciated most was their commitment to the full vision of the Trackhouse from the consumer's experience. Andy worked one of our marathon pop-ups in New York City - no easy task - to understand the requirements of our space during specific moments for the brand. We couldn't be happier with our new home on Chiltern Street.” Matt Taylor, Tracksmith CEO