Kéré Architecture have created a space that combines ethical fashion, craft and the best of digital and physical retail

“The Internet age is changing the way we live and experience life, especially when it comes to shopping. We like the convenience and speed of online-shopping without having to leave our homes, but the popularity of social media indicates that we still crave some kind of social interaction,” says Adriana Arteaga of Berlin-based architecture firm, Kéré Architecture“With this in mind, we were able to integrate many forms of technology in the store while emphasising the social aspect of shopping.”

As part of the Vitra Design Museum’s ‘Making Africa’ exhibition, Kéré Architecture have designed a pop-up store for shoe brand, Camper. It's the latest in a line of innovative projects that are paving the way for the future of retail.

The space combines ethical fashion, craft and both digital and physical elements . The ethical approach comes in the form of a United Nations programme that promotes the work of artisans in places like Ethiopia and Haiti. Throughout the space the physical is integrated with the digital through mobile devices, iPads, interactive signage, product information terminals, and 3D foot scanning.  To top it off, there's an in-house fabrication workshop where a professional shoemaker produces bespoke shoes live on-site.

“Craft is a central issue in our practice. Whether we are referring to a highly engineered digital fabrication process at Vitra or simple techniques using hand tools in Burkina Faso, craft is what literally shapes what we design,” concludes Arteaga. “Craft is how we take the raw material around us and transform it into something useful or beautiful.”