THE ORGANISATION
Sports Corner is Qatar’s leading local retailer of world-class sports and lifestyle brands. With a range of fitness equipment and activewear for the whole family, Sports Corner has everything you need to get active. They have been catering to the demands of Qatar’s sports and fitness business since 1979, enabling people to maintain a healthy life. Sports Corner provides the perfect mix of quality, value, and innovation for the sports enthusiast.
CHALLENGES
In early 2021, Sports Corner’s owner wanted to grow and become the best and first sports retailer in Qatar, especially after signing the sponsorship deal with FIFA for the football world cup 2022. Sports Corner is a subsidiary of the Blue Group, which includes Adidas, and has 13 sports and fitness stores spread round Qatar in all main areas and shopping malls.
There was a need to design Sports Corner branding and retail concepts to meet the international brand’s level and customer needs so that it could compete effectively with other brands and raise the brand’s profile. Intelligent Design (ID) was approached to participate in this development. The Sports Corner management commissioned an international designer to create the new design and the identity for the brand. ID was the second party to work with the international designer to ensure that the concept could be carried out in Qatar while adhering to local laws. ID coordinated with the landlord of the property since a significant development is required to assist the designer in completing the concept. In addition, we encountered a significant obstacle in developing the building facade. After preparing the concept and the detailed design drawings, ID was commissioned with the task of putting the plan into action and making the dream a reality.
SOLUTIONS
The architectural division at ID started working on collecting data and analyzing the existing shops and retail, and we coordinated with the designer to work on this project. After receiving the full design book from the designer, ID as the main
contractor for the project started the local consultancy scope of work, preparing the actual samples for the client approval, procurement for all the required orders, and developing all the fixtures, furniture & display units to obtain the manufacture drawings and start the production line for all the required QTY.
At the same time, all of the electromechanical services were being designed and implemented on-site to make the area ready for the installation of all of the fixtures and furniture.
ID experienced numerous obstacles as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic and challenges that followed, like shipment delays, supplier lockdowns, and so on, but we were able to find solutions and succeeded in acquiring the materials in a reasonable time and making the showroom ready.
RESULTS
In 45 days, the technical, business development, and operations teams were able to complete all of the shop drawings, production drawings, and release all of the project’s significant orders. The manufacturer’s details and material samples were also approved by the designer and the client.
Prior to placing orders, the ID team double-checked all audio and visual tools, and the ID team oversaw the entire process of putting a one-of-a-kind, totally customized tool to achieve the concept design.
The light fitting concept is a one-of-a-kind item that required extensive development, samples, and research before being ordered. All these efforts paid off and the installation was completed flawlessly and in a very short amount of time.