The awards honoured all aspects of retail design from around the world and winning projects were located in the US, Chile, China, Turkey, Italy, Singapore and France. Woolworths was the only winner from South Africa and joined an illustrious group of winners including RH Restoration Hardware, Karl Lagerfeld, Apple, Under Armour and Whole Foods.
The store was recognised for its intuitive layout, simple and consistent signage and raw and natural materials. According to the association, "Custom gondolas of concrete, steel, brick, tile, oak and reclaimed wood hold bulk items, while steel and reclaimed timber tables present merchandising displays. Fluorescent and metal halide lamps accent the store, with natural light brought in with skylights. Shops within the shop, such as a sushi counter, butchery, fishmonger and a stylish cafe, break up the space and keep the store's original boutique feel."
Commenting on the award, Zyda Rylands, MD of Food at Woolworths said, "We are proud to accept this award, particularly as it is for a store we are so passionate about. Waterstone is our biggest food market to date and reflects the latest view of our 'food market of the future concept' as we continue our journey of becoming a big foods business."
In keeping with Woolworths Good Business Journey, the store also features a number of 'green' design elements, such as natural light from skylights and a system that automatically dims the store's lights in bright daylight conditions. The store also recaptures waste heat from refrigeration to heat the store and the fridges in the store use a natural gas, which does not harm the ozone layer.
The Woolworths team that worked on the project included:
For more information on the awards, go to ARE Design Awards