A taste of Greek architecture and style

MANILA, Philippines - In its quest to provide an absolutely different shoe-shopping experience, Res|Toe|Run, the country’s first and only restaurant-inspired footwear boutique, unveiled a new global store theme in its recently opened outlet at Glorietta 4.

Bringing in the grandeur of Greece is architect Dindo Guerrero of Abesamis-Guerrero Architects, the firm that also designed the Res|Toe|Run outlets in Ayala Center Cebu, TriNoma, Gateway, and Robinsons Galleria.

“The first store concept implemented in the previous outlets was that of an Italian café,” Guerrero says. “This second concept used in the fifth RTR store in Glorietta was that of a Greek tourist marketplace in Athens called the Plaka. The cool colors were inspired by the cosmopolitan islands of Santorini, which is also in Greece.”

To capture the allure of the quaint island destination in the store, Guerrero interplayed a bright and muted color palette. Deep blue shades that evoke the Aegean Sea stand out against the predominantly white wall treatment, which symbolizes the charming village homes of Santorini. For a warm, laidback atmosphere, touches of brown, green, red, and other sun-kissed hues are present in decorative items such as paintings, earthen kitchenware, pottery, sculptures and framed mosaic tiles.

“The placement of canopies, trellises, and the stone walkways in the store mimicked the laidback, outdoor vacation feel in Plaka,” he added.

Also among the unique design elements introduced in the store is the white “stucco” wall treatment, which serves as a fitting background for the shoe displays. Repetitive octagonal patterns also add simple elegance. 

“Apart from the textural elements, the brightness of the white wall emphasized the various styles and colors of the boutique’s footwear selections,” Guerrero said. “The light hue also gave the room a more spacious interior vista and at the same time helped intensify the illumination of the area,” said Guerrero. 

Along with careful architectural planning, classic, elegant styling was also a foremost consideration in the store. Thus, customers can shop for shoes in a tastefully furnished, intricately finished environment. Instead of entering through a traditional sliding glass portal, shoe-holics pass through a wrought-iron glass accordion door that, according to Guerrero is custom-designed by quality craftsmen. “For a holistic, thematic effect, we also designed upholstery and chose the fabric, specifically the color combination that makes them look exactly like the original ones found in traditional Greek cafés,” he noted.                   

For the display areas, the Glorietta outlet uses abaca ropes to tie the recycled wine bottles to the metallic shoe rack. Overhead, a large canopy with projectors creates a vivid lighting effect as it beams over the multitude of new footwear choices, such as DC, Kickers, Fitflop, Sanuk, Lofu, Tsubo, Sledgers, Columbia, The North Face, Vasque, Salomon, La Fuma and Gravis.

The shoe displays are located within arches, a classic structural feature, to break up the predominantly concrete walls. Nearby is a bar-type cashier section complete with matching trellis and several illuminators, which Guerrero said are used to “simulate the sun or an outdoor light source.”

The installation of energy-saving lighting fixtures is also another new feature. “Res|Toe|Run, in a way, is going green by putting in place less powered lighting. It lessens electricity consumption yet can still provide good in-store lighting because of the good fixtures that perfectly matched the boutique’s ceiling height,” said Guerrero, adding that these “maximize the reflection by doubling the source of light yet prevent direct glare.”

Overall, the concept was able to follow the function of a shoe store, yet still have its own architectural and interior styling. “The minimalist-functional look plus the Greek marketplace inspiration worked very well in this particular outlet,” Guerrero said. “It’s like having a relaxing tour amid a vacation-like store ambiance. It is upscale, elegant, yet still very warm, cozy and inviting. The international feel of the store further reflects our shoppers’ distinct taste for opulence.”

Res|Toe|Run boutiques are located at Glorietta 4, Gateway Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao; Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Ermita, TriNoma and Ayala Center, Cebu City. For more information, call 303-1234 or visit restoerun.multiply.com.