Client / adidas & Aston Villa FC
Services / Villa Megastore
Location / Birmingham
Year / 2024
MORE THAN A STORe
A celebration of the club and its place in culture
Aston Villa. One of the UK’s oldest and most successful football clubs. Founded in 1874, now pivoting to embrace life as a top-4 side, and newly-qualified for the Champions League.
To mark the first partnership between Aston Villa and adidas, as well as Villa’s 150th birthday, we created a 10,000 sq.ft megastore at their Villa Park stadium.
We designed the store from scratch. Covering every detail from ceiling to lighting, walls to floors, along with an overall look, feel and creative concept.
To mark the first partnership between Aston Villa and adidas, as well as Villa’s 150th birthday, we created a 10,000 sq.ft megastore at their Villa Park stadium.
We designed the store from scratch. Covering every detail from ceiling to lighting, walls to floors, along with an overall look, feel and creative concept.
Our vision was a space for Villa fans to celebrate their club. Not just another stadium shop. A destination to explore that draws you back to discover more.
This approach yielded a unique commercial environment that stayed true to Villa’s heritage. Giving the community it was built by - and for - somewhere to fall in love with their club all over again. Creating a Villa experience they can’t get anywhere else. All while cementing a new brand partnership with adidas.
This approach yielded a unique commercial environment that stayed true to Villa’s heritage. Giving the community it was built by - and for - somewhere to fall in love with their club all over again. Creating a Villa experience they can’t get anywhere else. All while cementing a new brand partnership with adidas.
CREATING A SIMPLE, SHOPPABLE EXPERIENCE
We reinvented touch points such as the kit customisation area, and reconfigured the whole consumer journey. This synergy between spatial design, HX and production, led to a simple, shoppable experience that flowed well on and off match day.
The store’s secret weapon was storytelling. It invigorated the space and makes it authentic to fans. Expressing the soul of this Birmingham institution. Making Villains proud of their team, its history and place in culture. Driving sales and return visits, through design and historical context.
The store’s secret weapon was storytelling. It invigorated the space and makes it authentic to fans. Expressing the soul of this Birmingham institution. Making Villains proud of their team, its history and place in culture. Driving sales and return visits, through design and historical context.
CAPTURING THE ESSENCE OF VILLA
Villa Park is famous for its red brick facade, characterising its stands and connecting with the club colours.
A monumental lion statue built from bricks nodded to this aesthetic, symbolising Villa’s strength, stature and crest, and honouring the fans’ passion.
To celebrate Villa’s 150th anniversary, the names of every club captain were etched into the bricks. The sculpture came to life through projection mapped content.
A monumental lion statue built from bricks nodded to this aesthetic, symbolising Villa’s strength, stature and crest, and honouring the fans’ passion.
To celebrate Villa’s 150th anniversary, the names of every club captain were etched into the bricks. The sculpture came to life through projection mapped content.
Throughout the space, we took inspiration from Villa Park’s famous stained glass windows, creating branded feature moments and mosaics as a reminder of the Holte End facade beloved by every Villain.
A SPACE TO SOAK UP CLUB HISTORY
The first restaurant at a British football ground was the Oak Room at Villa Park, housed in the Trinity Road Stand.
Its classic aesthetic informed the design language for our retro area, elevating the experience and connecting with the club’s spirit.
It helped create an area where consumers were encouraged to slow down and immerse themselves in history and its range of attendant collections.
Its classic aesthetic informed the design language for our retro area, elevating the experience and connecting with the club’s spirit.
It helped create an area where consumers were encouraged to slow down and immerse themselves in history and its range of attendant collections.
GIVING FANS SHAREBALE MOMENTS
The interior of the fitting rooms features timber walls and gold detailing, as well as a handmade chequered carpet. This took inspiration from the home team’s changing rooms from past eras, and quickly became a popular photo moment for store visitors.
Villa is a football pioneer that was responsible for the first ever matchday programme. We paid homage to this by turning an early News and Record cover into a hand tufted rug which we hung proudly as a centerpiece in the retro area.
Villa is a football pioneer that was responsible for the first ever matchday programme. We paid homage to this by turning an early News and Record cover into a hand tufted rug which we hung proudly as a centerpiece in the retro area.
A LOCALLY INSPIRED CUSTOMISATION STATION
Finally, taking our cues from the hardworking industrial past of the Aston area, and the hard working ancestry of many Villans, we built a factory themed print shop where fans can customise their kit.
Its design language and materials bridge the connection to the human history of fans, as well as that of the club.
Its design language and materials bridge the connection to the human history of fans, as well as that of the club.
