Portview Fit-Out Limited
Working across all different types of retail, from Victoria’s Secret to Samsung and anything in between, Portview Fit-Out Limited are interior fit out specialists. Some recent projects completed by Portview include Samsung KX and Lush Liverpool, which was recently awarded a SBID International Design accolade.
Samsung KX
With Portview appointed as the main contractor, the project team consisted of Cheil who worked with Samsung to conceptualise and deliver Samsung KX, and design studios Brinkworth and KSS.
Located within the iconic ‘kissing point’ of the two curved rooftops in the new Coal Drops Yard development, Samsung KX is a showcase that’s packed with cutting-edge tech innovations. The new 20,000 sq ft showcase boasts several bespoke design features that are the first of their kind, including an architectural lighting frame embedded within the sales floor to create a curved, illuminated arc in both the east and west ceilings.
The new showcase boasts natural light and stunning views overlooking the Coal Drops Yard with floor to ceiling glazing that spans the entire façade. Inside, the space is carefully detailed with finishes such as porcelain flooring, a custom engineered steel roof, solid oak furniture and aluminium mosaic tiles, to give it a distinct edge that’s reminiscent of a contemporary London loft.
The sheer size of Samsung KX required huge amounts of skill and effort from over 600 project team members to coordinate the installation of bespoke fixtures and materials from across Europe. This included the installation of 62 tonnes of bespoke ceramic tile flooring, 65 dB rated walls, The world’s first curved Screenmax screen consisting of 168 cabinets and 1,008 LED tiles, 774 data points connected with 36 miles of cabling, 320Kw of cooling capacity, 1 sq km of insulation and lastly, 220 bespoke light fittings, each capable of being remotely controlled up to 50m away.
Lush Liverpool
Lush Liverpool opened its doors after a nine-month transformation into the biggest Lush in the world. Lush recently won in the retail category for the SBID International Design Awards 2019 for its fit out design.
Five times bigger than the previous store and spread over three customer-facing floors, Lush Liverpool boasts 1,380 sqm of retail space – big enough to fit over 9 million of its famous bath bombs. The characterful scheme by Lush’s in-house Design team with international architecture firm, Hyphen, was executed by Portview with an emphasis on enhancing the building’s original features to achieve a look inspired by the character of traditional department stores and be both sustainable and synonymous with the cosmetic brand.
Materials included reclaimed FSC certified timbers, brick, and Cradle to Cradle Silver tiles, which complement the injection of fresh, citrus colours from the 300 new products on display. The carefully crafted, contrasting textures help to add visual weight to the space and creates a sense of wholesomeness.
At a time when revitalisation is needed more than ever, this destination shop aims to bring more. Services and experiences at Lush Liverpool include:
- A Hair Lab offering treatments and cutting services.
- A Permanent Florist selling locally sourced and seasonal bouquets.
- Handmade Fresh products made onsite.
- A Perfume Library selling exclusive Perfumes and books on Perfumery.
In October, Lush Liverpool beat stiff competition from across the globe to be awarded a coveted SBID International Design Award in the retail category.
PREMIER RETAIL MAGAZINE caught up with Simon Campbell, who told us a bit more about Portview.
What is it that your company specialises in?
“In short, we specialise in delivering quality projects for our clients. We’re an interior fit out specialist so we work across a lot of different sectors, from high-end retail, hotels and offices to studios and commercial spaces and restaurants. We grew up on high street retail but have evolved to more premium clientele, predominantly in and around London, working for some of the top department stores including Harrods, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Bond Street stores.”
How long have you been in operation?
“The company was formed in 1975, so we’ve been on the go for quite a while. We have evolved from what was a very local construction offering in Belfast to being a rebranded company from our original roots to interior fit out in 2006, and now we’re one of the best.”
What are some recent projects you’ve worked on?
“We recently completed work on a flagship store for Samsung in Kings Cross, which was a 10 month fit out to deliver a radical concept which is more of an immersive experience space rather than a typical retail environment. There are a lot of high tech feature throughout showcasing Samsung’s product range and a very engaging interactive space, with a lot of virtual reality demonstration booths.”
Are there any exciting projects on the horizon?
“We’re currently working on Tiffany in Bond Street, which is coming to a conclusion very shortly and we already have a working relationship with them so that’s the major one.”
What do you pride yourselves on as a company?
“We enjoy very high levels of repeat business and I think that is down to the type of company that we are. We’re very collaborative, not contractual and I think that our ability to translate the concept into reality is a massive strong point for us. Our clients sign off on our vision of what their store should look like, and naturally there are a lot of obstacles that impact on ability to give the client what they thought they were getting but I think that through our skill and knowledge we can bring a client’s vision to reality no matter what.”
To discover more about Portview, visit: https://www.portview.co.uk/
