We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Dante Luna about their original and creative Store design work. Dante Luna is an award-winning architectural designer, that makes our world a better place with their original store works.
Dante Luna ("DL") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Ilumel Store. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
DL : The main idea was to change the image of the building in order to create a Flagship store in one of the main avenue in Santo Domingo. Towards the Abraham Lincoln Avenue, with a front of 2,120 square meters, a translucent skin is applied with presence, illuminated at night, enriching the image of the City.
DL : This project consists in the design, planning and integral construction of the previous buildings that make up this store, a leader in the furniture and decoration market in the Dominican Republic. It was contemplated the construction of a building of 4,200 square meters that works as a connector, to the set of buildings that make up the store, harmonizing what were previously four separate buildings under one roof. The program included the demolition of the walkway that communicated to two buildings of four, and the redefinition of the circulation and operation schemes of the total of 18,500 square meters of store. In this way, a single trade of large interior areas is created, seeking to improve the customer experience.
DL : We want you to recognize Dominican design throughout the world and make our country proud.
DL : In 2010, when the studio started working with, the store was composed of four separate buildings, many of them iconic buildings in Santo Domingo: the first Ilumel 908, a post-modern and eclectic five levels building with folded roofs. This intervention achieved the goal of 8 years ago.
DL : The programatic areas demanded it.The demolition of Ilumel achieved the unity of the whole and the beam built a new building of blind facade with composite aluminum panels and horizontal light inputs, which continued the Ilumel 910 mezzanine module. Currently the store has more than 18,000 square meters of exhibition, updated technologically, well lit thanks to the integration of natural and artificial light.
