Dresden Mobile

Dresden Mobile was born from the idea of locally produced eye wear combined with experiential learning for customers about where their glasses actually come from. The Dresden experience seeks to demystify a visit to the optometrist by bringing into the open the creation of personalised and affordable eye wear for everyone.

The brief was to reflect this high transparency and educational ethos in the physicality of the store, while creating a practical transportable workshop and retail outlet.

Dresden Mobile responds to the brief by taking inspiration from the Tiny House Movement, where homes on wheels fit as much functionality into small spaces.

Essentially, Dresden Mobile had to carry all the equipment and merchandise of a commercial optometry store, be as light as a racing car and versatile as a pop-up market stall.

To make the concept work, Dresden Mobile had to be as small as possible when travelling between destinations and as big as possible on arrival. In retail mode, the walls lift to become awnings for shade protection and the decks fold out to increase the floor space of the store whilst doubling as a staircase that leads customers inside. Dresden Mobile can also be orientated to manage solar gains or encourage prevailing breezes, thus maximizing thermal comfort through passive techniques.
Each component is designed with operability in mind to achieve quick pack-up and pack-down times for the staff. Key features are the interior cardboard fit-out on castor wheels and quick release hinges are used on the decks and walls, minimising the down time to set up.

The operability can be further tailored to respond to the context in which Dresden Mobile is parked, from alternating which walls are closed for tight urban laneways to fully open for festivals in parklands.

The eye wear produced at the Dresden Mobile store is all about closed loop recycling systems with glasses made from sea waste, milk bottle tops and even land-mines. The same ethos translated to the closed loop materials used to create Dresden Mobile.

With weight and compliance with the caravan code being a critical parameter, ASA considered materials that had a 'Swiss army knife' of advantageous properties. The high-recycled content gold polycarbonate cladding not only performed well thermally, but was light, waterproof, had high impact resistance for security reasons, and could illuminate during night time trading. The interior fit-out wasn't immune to the obsession for weight reduction, with the recycled cardboard work stations and merchandise displays bookending the retail space. The flooring is clad in recycled timber floorboards, there are recycled copper light fittings and low energy use strip LED's are used. The operability of the store means natural ventilation and the sun can be used to keep staff and customers cool in summer and warm in winter. This functionality dramatically lowers Dresden Mobile’s carbon footprint compared to typical box retail, whilst contributing to employee heath and job satisfaction.