SMPC was recently approached by Barb Construction, an Albuquerque-based general contractor who specializes in construction of high-end retail spaces, to assist with an unusual interior design challenge at a tenant improvement project at The Grove, a posh shopping, dining and entertainment destination in Los Angeles. The goal was to evenly space 5,200 sunglass lenses across an undulating double-curved ceiling in a new 646 sf Ray-Ban store. To create this unique shopper experience, this prominent design element required a simple solution that could be assembled with laser-precision accuracy in a very short timeframe.
SMPC project manager Erik Mease and SMPC computational specialist Stuart Knight-Williamson developed several options using 3D modeling software Rhino and a series of scripts developed specifically to investigate different grid patterns, pinpointing the position of 3-inch spaced lenses. SMPC produced a finalized visualization and installation template for the contractor to use and the resulting build-out was completed in under ten days, delivering a wildly different and dynamic effect. Next time you’re at the Grove in Los Angeles, go check it out!
