Swatch Melbourne

Swatch, a brand synonymous with color and eccentric design, has opened the doors to its latest flagship store in Melbourne, situated on Collins Street. The new space spans an impressive 239 square meters, marking it as one of the largest Swatch stores in the Southern Hemisphere. This new addition joins the watchmaker’s growing Australian retail presence, which includes locations on Pitt St, Bondi Junction, Queen St, South Wharf, and the newly minted Murray Street Mall. 

The Melbourne store is not just a retail space but a fully immersive experience, thanks to a collaborative effort spearheaded by renowned Australian lighting design firm, ambience. Known for their striking work on projects like the Nagnata flagship store, ambience brought their signature blend of artistry and innovation to Swatch, creating a lighting experience that can only be described as a delightful assault on the senses. 

In collaboration with interior designers, We Are Human, builders MDP, and Stewart Electrical Group handling the electrical installation, the team crafted an environment that captivates and engages. The store features dramatic highlights, such as a massive metal-framed acrylic lightbox that anchors the space, paired with illuminated fabric, set to animated interchanging scenes powered by individually controlled LED strips. This setup was meticulously researched and developed at ambience’s headquarters, ensuring every element was prepared and ready for a seamless onsite execution. 

The brief 

Oscar Lykkegaard Jakobsen, Casambi Commissioner at ambience, played a pivotal role in bringing this lighting marvel to life. Reflecting on the project, Oscar shared: “The brief was to go in and do something that was a bit out of the ordinary, something that would catch people’s eyes and be creative and kind of playful, much like the brand Swatch.” 

The design process 

The design process was inherently exploratory, allowing Oscar to try out various ideas to see what worked best. “It was a very playful process where I would just experiment, see what’s working, what’s not working, and then kinda develop some key lighting scenes and some animations based off those scenes. But it was definitely a very fun process to be a part of,” he explained. 

Casambi brings ideas to light 

Casambi’s technology was a crucial component of the project, appreciated for its ease of use and ease of integration. Oscar praised the system, noting, “I really liked using Casambi for this project as it is definitely the number one lighting control technology in terms of flexibility and usability as well, and it allows for a very high degree of customization.” 

“With any project like this that is so highly custom, just getting everything to communicate together and all of the different individual components to just kind of work as a whole is always a challenge. But Casambi is such a great solution in that regard, because it just makes the whole process of integrating all the different individual components together so much easier and so seamless”.  

The result of this meticulous planning and creative freedom is a vibrant, inviting space that embodies Swatch’s ethos.  

“I think we achieved a very, very great result and I think that’s especially due to the fact that the client just allowed us to use our creativity and really just go all-in in creating something that’s unique and colorful and playful like the brand.” 

Through the innovative use of lighting and technology, the Swatch store on Collins Street isn’t just a place to buy watches; it’s a destination that captures the spirit of creativity and joy that the brand has long been known for worldwide.