Ather Space, Chennai
An immersive experience of the Electric Automobile brand .
Located in Chennai, Ather Space embodies innovation and dynamism to create a prime feature space for Ather 450, an electric automobile.
Creating an immersive narrative to enhance customer engagement, the design strategy for Ather Space divides the expansive floor plate into distinct zones – enabling an enriching brand interaction that prioritizes visitor engagement and familiarization with the product over pure sales. Each zone has been designed to facilitate an intimate interface between the visitor and the brand, whether through gallery spaces for the technology behind the product, discussion zones for prospective customers, or initiation areas for first-time users.
Ather Space is characterized by seamless tectonics, a muted palette, sharp lines and a clutter-free aesthetic derived from the brand identity. The spatial layout has been designed to ensure a streamlined user flow from the entrance vestibule to the delivery pockets; housed within a minimal grey shell, the zonal divisions are asserted through free-standing partitions and fins, which introduce a degree of visual permeability in the space without taking away the intimacy of scale.
Reflecting Ather Energy’s design-intensive approach to electric automobiles, the primary spatial narrative of the central display area – called the Ather Ecosystem – is built around Ather machinery components and chassis models hosted on workshop-style tables and monolithic podiums. A secondary layer of environmental graphics and digital display systems brings this narrative to life, offering crucial information about the product and its usage.
While the main Ecosystem is dedicated to illustrating the technical competence of the product and the viability of the technology, smaller interventions such as planter screens near the entrance and quirky environmental graphics in the bathrooms help make the brand more inclusive and connected to the community.