INDEX

2023 IIDA Design Excellence Awards “Hospitality - Against All Odds”

INDEX, a sneaker consignment shop located in the urban environment of Portland’s Chinatown, has been architecturally designed to maximize the customer’s experience. Thedesign team envisioned INDEX as an environment that transforms a moment in time into a space that feels calm, clean, and restrained. Atypical of other sneaker shops, the interiorspace brings peace, mindfulness, and balance through it's Zen garden influences and bright, engaging, and clean architectural elements. The Zen garden, seen as you approachthe retail space from the exterior storefront, gives you a hint of the calm and warmth before you enter the space.

Upon entering the space, visitors are fully embraced by an ash-clad screen wall that wraps the existing structure, providing a meaningful connection between the use of naturalmaterials and the materiality of the sneakers. The design team created a bright white canvas of tile and paint for the product to be showcased within the space , while the naturalmaterials provide a calm and warm backdrop. The space is simple but impactful- there’s a sense of movement within the space from the lines of the slatted wood and the linearlights, complimented by the natural materials. The linear wood slats and lighting emphasize the shape of the space, making it a feature rather than a disadvantage. There is abalance between the industrial elements of the space and the refined wood elements, which provide a luxurious vibe while still retaining its edge.

Location // Portland, Oregon

Completed // 2023

Photographer // Dana Klein