With a fresh vision: the pfeffermint perspective

Our aesthetically spoilt eye has a preference for inspiring, vibrant spaces of comfort: where pfeffermint creates concepts, they are sure to be just that. For it’s not just a breath of fresh air, as the company name might suggest, that the firm from Schlieren, just outside Zurich, brings into its projects. When pfeffermint starts creating, brand experiences, interior architecture, design, scenography, communication, production and branding come together as a consistently thought-out overall programme. This applies to gastronomic concepts, whether an urban bistro or a contemporary interpretation of a fondue restaurant, a shop design as well as an interior design for a law firm. Behind every concept lies pfeffermint's typical ‘out of the box’ thinking, creating experiences with creative, unconventional approaches that evoke emotions, enable interactions and remain memorable.

A look at two interconnected projects illustrates the pfeffermint perspective as it has been practised and refined for more than 20 years. For nearly as long, Britta Hagen, creative director and co-owner of the firm, has been entrusted with designing the very contemporary shop window displays for Roost, an optical store in the Swiss city Schaffhausen. So when it came to redesigning the shop, laboratory and workshop, it was only natural that this task was also entrusted to the pfeffermint team. The result is an impressive rejuvenation for the store, which has been in business for almost a hundred years, right in the heart of the city.

First and foremost, the store had to relocate to a temporary space for the duration of the nearly six-month renovation. The firm also organised this. Just a stone's throw away from the optical store, across from the train station, the Roost Optik Pop up Store opened in the old Schaffhausen main post office. The pfeffermint team designed the temporary store as a testing ground for new ideas and workflows. The aim was to try out new processes and innovative consulting concepts, as the space in the three-storey main building is limited and required creative solutions to accommodate the large range in an inviting, non-overwhelming way. In addition, 30 employees needed to be able to work efficiently and comfortably in the available 350 square metres.

The approach: a centralised eyewear storage system for 3,000 pairs of glasses and a smaller display area in favour of a more intense and personal consultation. This was implemented using a modular storage system consisting of flexible shelves and boxes, where consultants select suitable models for customers. Their expertise is placed at the forefront. ‘In the heart of the store, a counter is designed as a multifunctional centre – for reception and checkout, consultations, events, a bar and a meeting point,’ explains Britta Hagen. ‘This concept was later adopted in the New Store to intensify the consultation and establish a place of encounter.’ Pfeffermint always focuses on a central focal point – a meeting spot that draws attention as a highlight and conveys a clear message.

It was crucial that none of the materials used for the Pop up Store would be discarded afterwards. Therefore, the storage system moved into the newly designed space. The wood used for the temporary examination rooms was later repurposed by an educational institution in the city. ‘To ensure sustainability and quality in the New Store as well, we chose materials that are durable and age well,’ says Britta Hagen.

In the New Store Roost Optik, practically nothing remained the same. Numerous fragments of the old building, previously concealed by fixtures, were uncovered again to allow the history of the building to breathe and be displayed. The ground floor now offers more space for the sales floor and consultation areas, with the first floor now dedicated solely to examinations and the studio relocated to the second floor. Next to the staircase, a newly installed lift provides barrier-free access to the rooms on the first floor.

Colours play an important role in the new concept: a light blue from the Le Corbusier colour palette (32022 outremer clair) creates a modern, relaxed atmosphere on the sales floor level, while a warm terracotta red provides a sense of calm for private consultation areas. ‘A light tiled counter, white walls and ceilings bring a fresh feel to the interior,’ says the creative director. Additionally, Oak wood elements add warmth to the space. ‘The deliberately chosen shaded white as the background for the eyewear selection puts the products at centre stage.’

In contrast, the colours on the upper floors are chosen to be warmer and darker, creating a more intimate ambience. To ensure that the space, despite its medical laboratory setting for optometric examinations, does not take on the sterile character of a doctor’s office, the team at pfeffermint also opted for natural materials such as oak parquet flooring.

Pfeffermint has transformed the owner-managed business into a modern and inspiring environment – with new workflows and clever ideas that appeal to both regular customers and younger, trend-conscious target groups. As part of the project, all construction phases were accompanied by contemporary, guiding and playful communication campaigns that were developed and implemented throughout the city. In this respect, the Pop up Store turned out to be a strategic coup to generate attention for the company's own progressive spirit. Roost Optik has overcome the risk of appearing outdated and pfeffermint made sure of that – with far more than just a breath of fresh air.

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