The Future of Luxury Retail award is designed to support and discover talent and challenge convention with a focus on enriching experience, materiality and future focused technology with sustainability at the core.
The Future of Luxury Retail award by @Bentley Motors x dezeen
Bentley Motors, in collaboration with design platform Dezeen, has unveiled a global design competition aimed at shaping “The Future of Luxury Retail.” The competition seeks to discover and support talent that challenges conventions, focusing on enriching experiences, materiality, and future-focused technology with sustainability at its core.
The contest invites architects and designers to explore and define innovative ideas that can drive the luxury retail industry forward in a sustainable manner. Entrants are encouraged to imagine retail experiences in various forms, including physical, digital, or hybrid, across different luxury sectors such as architecture, automotive, fashion, furniture, hospitality, interiors, real estate, specialty travel, wellness, and more.
The collaboration between Bentley Motors and Dezeen in launching this global design competition signals an exciting opportunity for architects and designers to shape the future of luxury retail. By emphasizing sustainability, innovation, and enriching experiences, the competition has the potential to generate groundbreaking ideas that push the boundaries of the industry.
Steven De Ploey, Bentley’s Global Head of Marketing, acknowledges the transformative nature of the automotive industry, with brands electrifying their product lines and reimagining the traditional car dealership model. He highlights the broader luxury retail industry, where digital and physical realms merge, experimenting with cutting-edge technologies like Web3, virtual reality, and augmented reality. Bentley itself is undergoing a transformation, committing to electrify its entire vehicle lineup by 2030 and expanding into lifestyle sectors like interior design and furniture through Bentley Home.
The global competition is part of Bentley Motors’ three-year partnership with Dezeen, which aims to identify and celebrate the world’s best architecture, interiors, and design. With Bentley sponsoring the Global Dezeen Awards for 2023, 2024, and 2025, the collaboration recognizes the shared values of beauty, innovation, and beneficialness. Bentley’s commitment to fine craftsmanship, engineering expertise, and innovative technology aligns seamlessly with its ground-breaking Beyond100 strategy, driving a future where luxury mobility is achieved sustainably.
The competition is free to enter and open to participants over the age of 18. A total prize fund of £30,000 will be awarded to the three best designs. The judging panel, to be announced by Dezeen in the coming weeks, will evaluate the entries, with the winners scheduled to be announced in August 2023.
Critically, while the competition’s focus on envisioning the future of luxury retail and encouraging sustainability is commendable, it would be beneficial to provide more specific guidelines and criteria for participants. Clarifying expectations in terms of sustainability practices, technological integration, and user experience would ensure a level playing field and encourage more innovative and impactful design submissions.
Additionally, transparency regarding the judging panel’s expertise and experience in the field of luxury retail and design would add credibility and inspire confidence in the competition process. Including a diverse panel with relevant industry professionals would help ensure a fair and comprehensive evaluation of the entries.
@Bentley Motors
