From a Blank Canvas to the Flagship Store: The Vancouver Design Philosophy.

January 09, 2019

Shop3D.ca has always been about simplicity, fundamentals, and focus. The early landscape of 3D printing was confusing an overwhelming, with dozens of brands of 3D printers, filaments and accessories making it a chaotic process trying to do research for the 'right' one. We set our sights early on to help people find the right solution by pre-testing and bringing on only the brands that had the full package. Supporting that solution to our fullest rather than spreading ourselves thin across many brands. We've made amazing strides with this idea, and are taking it even further and deeper by opening our Flagship showroom in Vancouver.

Our concept for the Shop3D flagship showroom began with an empty space, then crafting the experience we've always wanted. We tossed away all preconceived notions of what a showroom "should" be, and focused down on what the experience really ought to be. To us, 3D printers aren't just a product. It's a workflow and a pipeline. You can't adequately show off a production ecosystem by displaying a product on a shelf. It is an ecosystem that constantly evolves and improves with new materials and methods being developed throughout the product lifecycle. We wanted a space that could adapt and display those systems organically and be able to change with new technologies.

 

To achieve this, we've designed the Flagship showroom to be completely modular. Each week, we will reconfigure the showroom to display a different brand or customized for a vertical. The showroom space can be focused entirely on a new product launch so customers have the dedicated opportunity to learn everything about it. This brings all the excitement to the forefront.  An always changing customer experience encourages revisits so people come back often to see what's new. Not only does this provide the most faithful representation of a brand's intended workflow and ecosystem, but it gives the customer's a unique, focused, in person, hands-on info session only achievable at an exhibition space-until now. While most stores attempt to show the maximum amount of variety, we aim to focus down to a single product ecosystem. Think of it as a permanent pop-up shop for all the best 3D Printing brands.

 

We're all artists at heart at Shop3D. Most of us have roots in graphic design, cinematography, visual effects and cosplay. As such, we found it appropriate to model our showroom like an art gallery. Displaying products and printed pieces on white podiums with spotlights shining down artistically on walls and displays. The decor and displays are kept purposefully simple to draw the focus to the product and display pieces. All of the wall display pieces and signs are art pieces created by the Shop3D team by Shop3D products to really show that 3D printing has reached full circle.

 

In addition to weekly product focus events, all of our major partners will be co-marketing with us to create brand focused events. Bringing in experts directly from the manufacturer to do workshops, info sessions, and industry-specific talks. Shop3D.ca’s Vancouver flagship showroom will be THE place to host insightful conversations with experts in a showroom custom made to show off the artistry and the technical prowess of professional desktop 3D Printing.

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