Aquarium

Dive Into the Now

A glass loft on the lake, brimming with colorful, creative fish: Clemens and Caroline Sagmeister’s Aquarium in Lochau is a concept store that is so much more than mere retail space. It represents a response to the crisis in traditional retail, a vibrant meeting place for creative minds from the region and beyond.

Text: Lisa Hollogschwandtner. Photos: Marcel Mayer

Upon entering the Aquarium in Bregenz, you immediately sense that this space is different. Occupying 400 square meters, boasting breath-taking views of Lake Constance, this is not a traditional store, but a vibrant, ever-changing stage. To Clemens Sagmeister, who launched the project together with his wife Caroline, this is a response to many questions of our time and a direct reaction to the current challenges facing the industry. “It constitutes an attempt to highlight new solutions and demonstrate how modern retail works. After all, we all know how it fails by now,” explains Sagmeister. The familiar approach of buying merchandise six months in advance, taking a risk, and hoping for a positive outcome is no longer sustainable.

Shared Vision

The Aquarium offers a counterproposal in the form of a radical partnership concept. Sagmeister provides the curated space and qualified staff. The partners contribute their products, rent space temporarily, and pay a small commission on sales. “This reduces the risk for the retailer,” says Sagmeister, which, in turn, frees up space for creativity. It is an individual playground for a wide variety of brands and creatives yet curated according to clear criteria. On the one hand: the Sagmeister quality standard. “Each product we stock has passed the Sagmeister quality check. That in no way means it has to be expensive, just special, new, or different.” On the other hand: a shared mindset. To Sagmeister, the concept does not require lengthy explanations. You either feel it and understand it – or you do not. “Everyone here understands that the product next to their own is not a competitor; instead, the range is mutually beneficial.” This principle is the driving force behind the concept. Originally planned with ten partners, the Aquarium launched with 23. The list of potential further candidates includes more than 100 names.

Wear It, Read It, Plant It, Eat It

The variety of products at Aquarium is truly impressive. Under the initial motto “Endless Summer”, the concept store currently features fashion by brands such as AlphaTauri and /04651 – A Trip in a Bag alongside a sports pop-up by Stopolobo. The latter is a welcome addition, as Bregenz no longer houses a sports store. They are complemented by furniture from Casa, plants from Tiefgrün, books from Buchhandlung Brunner, and beauty products from Valentina & Philippa.

A particular focus is placed on culinary delights and local heroes. There is freshly baked bread from Marenda Brotkultur, delicatessen from Frau Kaufmann, sushi from Sakura Sushi Bar, and even sustainably produced meat and sausages from the butcher “Der Jogi”. Everything you need for a spontaneous day on the opposite lakeshore – from barbecues to water-filtering drinking bottles.

A Sea of Possibilities

The concept is aimed at “open-minded people aged 9 to 99”. A separate area co-designed by children, the “children’s pool”, makes the store especially family friendly. At the same time, the Aquarium has a distinct identity. A rainbow flag outside the door and a “No Cash Please” sign subtly communicate who is welcome and who is not. This is about creating an open, appreciative community.

The cards are reshuffled every four months. Then the motto changes and new partners come on board, while established partners reinvent themselves. The project is all set for the next four years. It is more than just a store. This is a lively experiment, a courageous and inspiring alternative concept, a vision of what retail can look like in the future: collaborative, dynamic, and full of passion.