The INset

ADC worked with Starwood to develop The INset, a new retail prototype intended for rollout across its mall portfolio. The concept created a flexible physical marketplace where multiple retailers could bring products into a shared environment for limited runs, seasonal launches, or temporary exposure without building a traditional standalone store. The idea anticipated the growing connection between online and physical retail by giving customers a place to discover products in person while allowing the merchandise and participating brands to change over time.

The architecture was deliberately designed around that flexibility. A series of modular floor fixtures, wall displays, freestanding merchandising units, interchangeable merchant signs, display pedestals, cashwraps and graphics created a consistent framework that could accommodate very different products and brands. Lounge seating, a long communal table, greenery and feature lighting added places to pause and made the store feel more like a curated discovery space than a conventional collection of sales racks. The exterior used large areas of glass, black framing, a continuous yellow accent and planted branding panels to make the concept immediately recognizable from the mall common area. 2019-06-22 INset Full Deck

The project advanced well beyond an initial design study. ADC developed the floor and merchandising zones, material palette, furniture package, custom fixtures, cashwrap and backwrap, wall displays, signage hierarchy, merchant identification and brand graphics as part of a fully resolved prototype. The system was designed to provide Starwood with a repeatable kit of parts that could be adapted to different spaces and merchandise mixes across its properties. The prototype and working drawings were developed before COVID-19, positioning The INset as a scalable platform for a new type of mall retail experience.