The role of interior designers in design and implementation of retail stores : the case study of Edcon

M.Tech.The study explores the role of interior designers in the design and implementation of retail stores. Through application of case study methodology, the process of retail design within the Group Property Development Department of Edgars Consolidated Stores (Edcon) was established and the role of interior designers within this process determined. The context of the case is the clothing and footwear retail market in South Africa. Presently, this market is dominated by several large holding companies that constitute the greater part of the leading retail brands in the country. The foremost South African clothing and footwear retailer is Edcon. The case study for this research study is the Group Property Development Department of Edcon that manages the leasing, conceptualisation, design development and construction of all new and refurbished retail stores for all of Edcon’s retail chains. Literature describes retail design as a complex activity that involves many role players who make use of expert knowledge and a variety of skills that contribute to the successful implementation of a retail brand identity through the design of retail stores. The literature review further indicates that most of the published research on retail design is in retail management, marketing and psychology. However, the consideration of the contribution of interior designers, as role players in retail design, is not documented or described in existing literature. Retail design is a field of practice that is well established in the interior design profession. Interior designers are able to support retailers by increasing the benefits of retail design in the course of retail differentiation and strategic leadership. The importance of retail design in the interior design profession is confirmed through this research study as it reveals that nine higher education institutions, affiliated with the South African Institute of the Interior Design Professions (IID), include retail design projects in the interior design curricula