Arrocco showroom — retail architecture as a tool for communicating a furniture design system
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
ARROCCO is a premium furniture brand developed in collaboration with Intar - a Polish manufacturer with long-standing technological expertise and an extensive production infrastructure. From the beginning, the brand was conceived not as a series of independent products, but as a coherent design system that connects industrial manufacturing, modular logic and individual customisation.
This systemic approach required a consistent translation into physical space. The showroom was therefore not treated as a conventional point of sale, but as an operational and communicative environment that explains how the brand functions.
In 2025, a flagship showroom was opened in Stare Babice near Warsaw. With an area of approximately 500 square meters, the space serves as both the primary customer interface and a prototype for future locations planned across Poland. Its role extends beyond product presentation. It acts simultaneously as a workplace, an educational environment and a spatial representation of the brand’s technological and aesthetic principles.
Context and objectives
The starting point for the project was a clearly defined business and production model.
ARROCCO collections are developed as ready-made, system-based furniture lines designed by a lead designer and subsequently adapted in Intar showrooms to specific interiors, lifestyles and ergonomic requirements. The solutions are neither modular furniture in the typical retail sense nor traditional bespoke cabinetry. Instead, they operate within a controlled configurator that is directly integrated with production. Every dimension, component and detail must correspond to manufacturing capabilities.
This condition fundamentally shaped the showroom strategy. The space could not rely solely on stylised arrangements or aspirational imagery. It needed to communicate precision, material honesty and technological feasibility. Clients had to understand not only the aesthetic qualities of the collections, but also the logic behind the system that produces them.
For this reason, the showroom was conceived as a decision-making environment rather than a decorative exhibition.
Showroom as a working environment
The program of the space reflects the everyday processes of the brand.
The showroom functions as a place where designers meet private clients, where carpenters and contractors attend open days, and where product solutions are discussed directly in relation to real materials and technical parameters. It supports consultation, testing and configuration rather than passive browsing.
This approach required the architecture to remain clear and legible. Spatial organisation prioritises functionality and accessibility. Circulation routes allow users to move freely between collections, compare solutions and engage with samples or technical information without mediation.
In this sense, the showroom operates more like a workshop or studio than a traditional retail interior. It is a place where projects are actively developed.
Translating the online configurator into the space
A key design challenge was the physical translation of a digital configurator. Since ARROCCO’s offer is based on a structured system of components and constraints, the spatial layout needed to reflect the same logic. Each collection is presented as a complete, coherent environment that demonstrates real proportions, authentic materials and production-ready solutions. No elements are purely scenographic. Every cabinet, finish and detail corresponds directly to what can be ordered and manufactured.
This one-to-one relationship between presentation and production reduces ambiguity. Clients are able to evaluate actual scale, ergonomics and material behaviour. Decisions are therefore based on tangible information rather than interpretation of visualisations.
The architecture becomes an explanatory medium. It makes the system understandable without additional narration.
Materials and sensory experience
The design process acknowledged that furniture, particularly kitchen furniture, is assessed through physical interaction. Texture, weight, colour depth and construction details cannot be adequately communicated through digital tools alone. Although online platforms and configurators support planning, the final evaluation often depends on direct contact with materials. For this reason, the presentation of finishes and components plays a central role in the showroom.
Visitors have access to full-size samples, hardware displays, finish libraries and technical mock-ups. These elements allow them to verify quality, compare options and better understand price positioning. The tactile dimension of the experience supports both rational and emotional aspects of decision-making.
Materiality is therefore not treated as decoration, but as a functional tool within the design process.
Integration of physical and digital systems
The showroom is closely connected with ARROCCO’s digital infrastructure. The website and online configurator are integrated with Intar’s production and sales systems, enabling a continuous workflow between remote planning and on-site consultation. Customers may begin the configuration process online and continue it in the showroom, or start in the physical space and finalise decisions digitally.
This integration shortens the sales cycle and minimises the risk of errors. Architecture, software and manufacturing operate as parts of one coordinated ecosystem.
Design approach
From the outset, the Stare Babice showroom was designed as a repeatable model.
The spatial logic, zoning strategy and display systems were developed to be adaptable to 8 different locations and floor areas. This allows the brand to maintain consistency while expanding its network of showrooms.
For Politowicz Studio, the ARROCCO showroom represents an approach in which product design, interior architecture and brand communication are developed simultaneously.
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