Completion Date:     8/21/2015

Square Footage:      3987

Building Use:           Commercial Interiors/Retail

Location:                 Estero, Florida

Project Description:

Bunulu is about our connection to water; from the beach to the intracoastal water way and, inlets and sounds. Designed and developed by the architectural design team, the Bunulu name and brand identity is playful, unique & rhythmic - a derivative aboriginal word meaning ‘place of water’. Bunulu was born from the idea that this coastal lifestyle requires a unique, soulful, and comfortable approach to style, and a store environment that supports the brands attributes that are ‘real, enabling, experiential and connected’.

Key architectural details include an exterior storefront that is simple, open and inviting - designed to allow the activity around the interior ‘sandbar’ and event space to be visible to passing foot traffic. The exterior features driftwood shutters and an angled entryway to disrupt and pull customers into the store, while providing an inset for window merchandising.

The interior store layout is a metaphor for the breaking waves that inspired the angled layout of the fixtures. Fixtures are clustered in stories - much like campfires around which customers gather along the shoreline, A signature deep aqua resin concrete flooring defines the area for the sandbar and customer service. Custom surfboards designed and fabricated by Juan Rodriguez, a local surfer, adorn the space.

The metaphoric journey continues with driftwood flooring representing the boardwalk from the front to the rear of the store leading the customer on a journey of discovery and trial. In addition, the perimeter walls are clad in whitewashed and multicolored wood planks that are worn and weathered like treasures found on the beach. Tall vertical driftwood beams that bring a modern aesthetic to an otherwise rustic space interrupt these walls in the center of the store.

The central ‘Brand Wall’ makes a bold statement of the Bunulu brand. This primary feature helps to create zones within the store while maintaining open sightlines for general way-finding and service. Behind the brand wall, the ‘Deck Lounge’ provides flexible seating space and lifestyle imagery alongside the brand’s tagline, “Land. Water. Style”. This area is where customers gather to share stories, relax and take in the overall environment.

Bunulu is focused first on the people that make up our community of local coastal lifestyle enthusiasts. Its purpose is to enable their ‘perfect coastal experience’ and in the stores, the ‘Sandbar’ is the heart and soul of that community. This multi-purpose space is dedicated to sharing, exchanging, experiencing and learning.

The Bunulu brand is reinforced throughout the store from found objects that are handcrafted and natural materials of glass, rope, sand and driftwood - intermixed with products to add to the surprise and delight. Fixtures, furnishings and displays are customized using recycled veneer planking, hand-painted and custom colored resin, tiling and other sustainable materials. The store is comprised of custom designed and fabricated fixtures along with a variety of found fixtures and furnishings to elevate the coastal experience through texture and detail.

Unique large-scale environmental graphic imagery from familiar locations around the coast of Florida is found in each of the four fitting rooms. These oversized images provide a backdrop for customers to trial clothing while sharing photos socially. Adjacent pegboards provide inspiration for customers with curated collections ranging from daytime to evening.

C.O.T.E. | Committee on the Environment

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