We created a unique, dream-like landscape for Milk-Train.
Mission.
Milk Train approached Formroom to design and produce an immersive space that catered primarily to the diverse Instagram demographic that propelled the brand to instant online fame in 2018. We worked with the brand to strategise and evolve upon their four core pillars; Surreal, Timeless, British and Immersive.
A key aim was to create a space which matched the expectations set by Milk Train’s social footprint, the biggest challenge of which was therefore finding the balance between a timeless and immersive feel whilst also dripping with nostalgia.
Approach.
We created a unique, dream-like landscape for the Milk Train customer. A predominately monochromatic palette echos the Art Deco movement popularised amongst traditional train stations alongside platform iconography. The Covent Garden space was to provide the core brand design blueprint from which all future sites would evolve. As this was their first permanent space, the interior design needed to be unique and interchangeable across all seasons, allowing the brand interior to evolve as swiftly as Instagram trends do.
We placed a key focus on creating a space that was easily adaptable to all trends whilst not deviating from Milk Train’s dreamy ice cream products and the core brand identity. It was also important to consider the volume of customers due to the brand’s high popularity, meaning we needed to design a space which felt accommodating but limited excessive dwell time in favour of a faster customer experience.
The likes of grand arch detailing with a globe lighting feature throughout the space invoke that timeless British train design whilst also providing a more playful interior. Train station visual cues continue throughout the space using mosaic tiling and wayfinding, including a play on the iconic British underground messaging with “Mind the Melt” embedded into the floor.
The brand’s signage and ordering system mirror shutter board platform designs and the inclusion of a dramatic ceiling feature provides a conceptual take on the train’s ‘steam’ and is designed to be easily adaptable for future installations. The exterior of the store utilises beaded opaque glass to mimic the steaming of a train window, whilst the black metal detailing lends another subtle nod to the brand’s immersive train experience.
“Icecream holds such a sense of playful surrealism, and FormRoom wanted to carry over that magic to the store environment.”
Emily Foenander, Project Manager, Formroom
Results.
Since launching, the design has generated an unprecedented response online, including being awarded ‘Best Experiential Design’ at The Drum Awards 2019 and ‘Best Café Design’ at the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2019.
