In the world of luxury car sales, the showroom should reflect the car brand’s vision and mission. First impressions matter. High end-clients are smart and educated consumers. They know what they want, and a beautiful, comfortable facility is beneficial for a smooth transaction.
We’ve been designing for the high-end client for over thirty years. Here are some architectural features that make or break a desirable commercial facility, and that you’ll want to incorporate into your building design:
Front Entrance
Any entry should be welcoming, and set the stage for a great customer experience inside. This should seem obvious, but there should be no confusion in a customer’s mind where the front door is located. The entry sequence to a building should be inviting and 100% stress free.
At Ferrari Lake Forest, the entry is set deeply into a courtyard, away from the street. Melichar Architects created a modern and attractive focal point with clean, crisp materials to attract visitors. The façade renovations also utilize a larger building scale that balances with the courtyard.
Reception
Once a client crosses the front entry threshold, they are expecting exemplary service. Searching for “help” is not an option. A welcoming, organized reception area signals professionalism and expertise. Coordinated visual displays and well placed product instantly creates a sense of harmony, fostering emotional trust and connection that the car brand is also designed with intent.
At Ferrari Lake Forest, the reception desk utilizes the iconic Ferrari red color. Its clean lines and curves reflect beautiful Italian design.
Display
Proper lighting is absolutely essential to appropriately present the form and detail of luxury cars. Too bright, and the lighting appears harsh. Too dull, and cars appear old and lackluster. A proper balance of lighting levels, lighting color temperatures, and flexibility of lighting features for particular functions within a facility should be maintained. Lighting in the car configuration space should be different than the lighting at a car delivery location or workshop.
At Ferrari Lake Forest, the new car configuration area uses direct lighting to display the finishes, and overhead lighting for car display.
Clear Organization
Customers feel most comfortable when they can navigate through spaces easily. It tells them that they are valued, and you care about their well-being when they visit your facility. There is nothing worse for a client than sifting through a labyrinth of corridors with wayfinding signage plastered on the walls. It takes careful planning to ensure that showroom spaces feel comfortable in their shape and size, and they flow easily and properly, but it’s worth the extra effort.
At Ferrari Lake Forest, all areas of the showroom are easily accessible to customers, with some spaces utilizing glass partitions to provide sound and privacy while still being visually connected with the larger spaces.
Ceremony and Celebration
Celebrating the awesome qualities of the automobiles cannot be understated. High-quality building materials should be used judiciously and with precision in the building design so that the facility becomes a backdrop and reflection of the displayed product. Classic, clean design detailing should prevail over fussy and extravagant building design, which can distract clients from their primary purpose of car buying.
At Ferrari Lake Forest, the new car delivery area uses a circular ring above the turntable to provide ceremony as the client receives their new automobile.
A well-designed building can play a large part in a business’s success. Bringing attention to your brand with architecture that reflects the brand’s value and vision can elevate your business above your competitors. The building experience needs to excite patrons and potential clients from the moment they walk through the door, as well as spark employee productivity and a sense of belonging.