The aim of the project is to encourage more physical shopping experiences and allow local and e-commerce businesses to sell to the general public (in a pop-up style manner) without having to pay for long term retail space.

Part one of the experience is the Pentola app which shows what businesses will be selling at the Pentola space, days before the physical space is open. Users are then able to view the businesses and their items beforehand and make orders which can then be collected physically at the business’ dome.

Part two is the physical shops where customers can collect their previously ordered items and/or navigate around the shop to see what the business has to offer within their space. This takes place once the domes have opened. The business has the ability to transform the interiors of the store to fit their branding and create an immersive experience for the user to create brand engagement. The décor of the shop was made specifically for the brand Lucy + Yak.

By combining online and in-store shopping experiences, it aims to encourage users to shop in-store and interact with the businesses that would not occur due to the detachment of online shopping. Using the ‘pop-up’ concept also encourages customers to continue to order on the app and return to the space due to the constantly changing nature of the shopping experience Pentola offers.