Our client, 2020 Optical, sought a boutique retail fit-out for their new premises in a heritage-listed retail arcade in Brisbane’s CBD. 2020 needed the space to be welcoming and attractive to customers, the fit-out to emphasize the quality of their products, and the frontage to be optimised for display. The design creates a bright, warm, simple, and spacious fit-out which accentuates the fine, delicate nature of the spectacles and sits in counterpoint to the intricate, visually-dense detailing of the heritage arcade’s central spine. The scheme takes full advantage of the double-height void in creating a sense of volume and spaciousness, against which the delicacy of the fine instruments of vision are legible. The 2-storey void is accentuated by a sloping wall over, which conceals a storage mezzanine and intentionally directs the customer’s eye to the original stained-glass frontage window - a finely-detailed feature which further evokes a sense of delicacy, beauty and quality. New, frameless glazing below the stained glass maximises the frontage and clear views into the store. Akin to a gallery setting, the impressive volume of the space is a counterpoint to the beautiful, small objects on display. The sense of space and volume are heightened by generous lighting. Ambient light is brought into the tenancy through the frameless glass frontage, and a feature opening cut into the angled back wall. This is augmented with carefully placed, warm-white LED lighting, tuned to give the space a warm glow in the arcade. Packing, shelving and drawer systems house the spectacles in a variety of ways, with an emphasis on neat, simple solutions that minimise distracting visual clutter. A single, clean sales bench is the place of business. Dark timber joinery reflects the heritage arcade frontages and adds warmth and texture to the space. The patterned veneer wall to the rear accentuates the length of the shop, increasing the sense of spaciousness. Generally, the design is simple and restrained. Combined with the brightness and spaciousness of the scheme, this creates a sense of visual clarity, which resonates with the core purpose of our client’s business as opticians. The scheme contributes to the beauty of the heritage arcade and is a successful retail tenancy that has served our client well for over 6 years.