GSA Postgrad
Showcase 2021

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‘Re-Seeing’ three dimentional space through images —— the experience in retail store

This project discusses the impact of social media on the retail space experience, and observe and think about changes in the space from a flaterning perspective.

First of all, I do research about the motivation of people’s purchasing behavior. The factors that affect people’s purchasing decisions are not entirely rational, but are affected by the surrounding environment or advertsing. Then the environment and experience in the retail store have become extremely important. Under the control of the experience economy, the retail store is no longer a trading place, but an experience place with multiple functions. However, under the influence of social media, our cognitive and behavioral patterns have changed. The flatening cognitive and “sharing” behaviors have changed the experience patterns in traditional retail spaces. The potential connection between the two-dimensional image and the three-dimensional space was focused on and used as the design method of the project. Under the influence of prosumerism, the mode of experience actually tends to active participation in experience , which is an important mode of spatial experience in this project. However, the potential impact of social media on people is not entirely positive. Therefore, in the project, I imagined two different experience forms included in the spatial experience of retail stores. In addition, The project uses IKEA as the object of experimentation and exploration, and reconstructs the space by taking pictures and making collages of images from different angles in the space.

Now, the experience economy is immature. Experience is the added value of goods. People will buy goods in physical stores because of an experience. Even many experience designs still exist in theaters, amusement parks and other places. The traditional way of experience is still the main design method in the store. However, in the future, we may pay for a special experience in a retail store or commercial space instead of a commodity. Under the influence of social media, our shopping experience in physical stores may change. We see things around us in a flat cognition-led way, even relying on images more than ever. This two-dimensional visual experience avoids the limitations of mobile phones for immersion, and puts us in a seemingly “unrealistic” screen environment. The environment we see may be chaotic and partial. However, due to the advent of technology, two-dimensional and three-dimensional, physical and virtual have long been merged, and there is no difference. We need to accept this mixed zone. Meanwhile, We also need to be critical of these technologies and be aware of their impact on our space and other aspects. Although the use of digital technology and the spread of social media can attract countless consumers, this approach is to some extent a degradation of the product and our awareness. Therefore, the main purpose and significance of the project is not to stimulate the desire of consumers to make them consume, but to revisit and observe the product and the environment in a way that we are used to.

 

 

The Four Realms of an Experience

According to the description of experience economy, the experience is divided into two types and four realms. So the experience form can be determined according to the needs of spatial experience
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How social media change the experience ?

Firstly, I communicated with a few people who use social media frequently, and discovered their purpose of using social media and how they use social media.
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Experience 2-- my own feelings about using social media

In my personal experience, when we are drowning in excess stimuli that try to attract our attention, maybe we have to focus on what we are focusing on. My experience is different from that of friends who like to use social media. When I used social media frequently in the past, I was obsessed with using it. Most of the time I was a person who browsed information but neither interacted nor shared with others. Through thinking these interviews and my own feelings, we are always attracted by images. And social media is not limited to the dissemination of professional images. Those images that record daily life are more convincing and often have a deeper impact. In retail stores, although the main objects of sale are still commodities, the experience has subtly affected consumers and made them respond. The popularity of the Internet makes consumers have higher and higher expectations of stores, and transactions in stores are no longer the most important function. Merchants also use the store as the stage and the products as the display to provide consumers with different experiences. So what specific experience needs to be created? In buyology, the role of mirror neurons is clearly mentioned. Our brain will imitate what we see. Therefore, under such a strong social media, our buying decision will be affected. In addition, he also mentioned the role of sensory marketing. The perception of smell and sound can deepen a person's experience. However, in the context of social media, our perception is still dominated by vision, with a kind of flatness. Way of looking at things around you. And in an increasingly digital world, due to the dominance of experience economy, display systems will inevitably transform two-dimensional representations into deeper experiences. At the same time, under the influence of pro-consumerism, the identity of consumers as pro-consumers will be transformed in the active participation and interaction in the experience, making them the producers of the experience.
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Experiments1-- taking photos

Taking IKEA as the object of observation and experiment, transform and reconstruct its space in two-dimensional and three-dimensional. Based on the traditional experience form, IKEA focuses on the active participation and emotional experience of customers. However, due to the influence of social media, many spaces in IKEA are used as backgrounds for photographing, even in warehouses. Therefore, this project uses IKEA as a 're-seeing‘ space for exploration and experimentation. In the whole experience of IKEA, 6 spaces were selected. There are 3 different types of spaces, one is the display immersion space, the other is the sales area, and the other is the warehouse. In the two different types of spaces, the immersion space and the sales area, people's observation patterns are somewhat different. Therefore, in these two types of spaces, different areas were selected for photographing experiments.
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Experiments 2-- making collages

Take photos of different angles in the space, and then make collages.
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Experiments3-- making models

Put the possible experience of people into it, take the outline of the new furniture as the cutting range, remove the furniture, and look at the overall environment and the relationship between people in a completely flat manner. Here, I am thinking that when I sit on and stand on furniture, my focus is on the environment and feelings, not on the furniture itself. Therefore, I replaced the furniture inside with a mirror. The mirror here is a symbol.
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reconstruct the space
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the ‘seeing’ experience in the store

Incorporate the experience of using social media to shop, observe products and share to create a "virtual" experience in a physical environment. This forms two routes of experience, one is an "aesthetic" experience without interaction, and the other is an immersive and active interactive experience. According to the two dimensions and four types of experience in theoretical research, people's experience and sense of participation are divided into different degrees.
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Development

Re-integrate these spaces and analyze the viewing angle of people in different positions and the angle of reflection of the environment. According to the experience process, the mirror surface and the environment are recombined.
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route

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'seeing'

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'testing'

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'socializing'

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