The Smart Home of the Future
Designing a transparent lab for the future of retail.
Overview
Target faced a unique challenge: How do you sell "smart" devices when customers don't yet understand how they work together? Our solution was Target Open House, a concept store in San Francisco centered around a fully transparent, acrylic home. Instead of stacking boxes on shelves, we integrated products into a life-sized living environment, allowing them to demonstrate their own value in real time.
Partners
BBI, Associated Fabrication, Gizmo Art Production, Technical Artistry, Underground Audio
Services
Creative Direction, Architectural Coordination, Physical Design, Software Prototyping and Planning, Production
“It’s as though Philip Johnson’s Glass House and the Jetsons’ futuristic pad had a lovechild.”
The Details
We turned the store into a stage. Inside the transparent house, connected devices didn't just sit there; they "woke up" as visitors approached, acting out vignettes ranging from morning routines to home security. This immersive approach transformed abstract tech specs into tangible benefits. Beyond sales, the space served as a live R&D lab, giving Target a first-mover advantage by gathering real-world data on how consumers interact with the emerging smart home market.
“A big entrepreneurial bet... to re-energize the retailer’s brand and create a new billion-dollar business outside of its comfort zone.”
