In less than six months, we crafted a new multi-sensory and immersive store for Comvita at Auckland Airport, in partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail and Aelia Duty Free.

The organic-formed space, finished in warm honey tones, breaks away from traditional design moulds and stands out in the bustling duty-free environment.

A highlight of the store is the one-of-a-kind hive ceiling feature, a large-scale installation created using 10,000 beeswax-dipped fabric sheets, with the wax sourced from Comvita’s own hives.

Retaining the natural honey scent from the hive, this authentic representation symbolises Comvita’s continued commitment to caring for bees and ensuring healthy hives.

In a New Zealand first, a custom 1.2 fine pixel pitch LED screen wraps around a column, featuring dramatic filmed footage of bees, Mānuka, and honey. This innovative addition adds an immersive element to the store’s design, capturing the essence of Comvita’s mission in a visually stunning manner.

To enhance the sensory journey, visitors can experience the scent of the Mānuka tree, Mānuka honey, and propolis via ceramic vessels. Directional speakers bring the sounds of bees and nature to life, providing an immersive atmosphere. Travellers can also take a break and indulge in a 4-minute immersive Mānuka honey tasting experience via ipads with 3D spatial audio, available in both English and Mandarin.

The store was delivered thanks to a select number of local New Zealand makers and artisans including Complete Construction; Bootleg Design, Monmouth Glass; Peter Collis Studios, Mark Antonia; Perceptual Engineering, Harmonic Studio and Provision Technologies.