When you walk up to FAO Schwarz, It seems like a rather unassuming building. The only thing that even gives you a hint of what is inside are the costumed live ‘toy soldiers’ stationed at the doorway. This is part of the charm of the store and something they do very well. It’s the idea of being led into a new, almost ‘fantasy’ world. Walking thru the doorway you leave NYC and enter a new world filled with toys and wonder.
As you walk through the store, there are many nooks and turns, each revealing a totally new space (much like Willy Wonka’s factory). Each space is individual with no bleeding between them, but they work in unison to take the customer through the space. There is constant wonder
and surprises as with each corner you turn you find a whole new aspect of the store. Most sections can not be seen from other sections, giving a surprise each time the corner is turned.
It is the creation of this unique world that makes FAO Schwarz the wonderland it is. Children enter and are quickly enraptured by the overall world that is created. No where do you see the boring structural design of say a Toys R Us. It is not the typical institutionalized isles by isles of items categorized by type. Instead everywhere the eye can see is filled with unique, fun and childlike notions. They have stairs and balconies to see the room from different angles.
Even the escalators are different in that they provide a platform for a few feet to allow children time to get on and off the escalators without them being frightening or moving too fast for their smaller bodies and feet. Most apartments in NYC do not have the room for one of the almost life sized stuffed animals, but when you see it in relation to the space built, you almost feel like you can make it fit. The children believe they have to have it. They need their rooms to be a part of this world of FAO Schwarz.
Another design feature of the store is the separation of ages and sexes. The floors and sections of the store are separated by ages. The babies and toddlers are downstairs, the older children upstairs. Upstairs there is a clear divided ‘main street’ between the girls section (all pink and full of dolls and cooking); and that of the boys (cars, science and building). You find the ‘family’ bathroom on the same side as the woman’s room. The men’s bathroom side has no such option. In the boys section you find lego land and the famous ‘Big’ piano. You also find the books, science options and model trains. I have always believed this to be a big design flaw. It is dated in its theory of stereotypes for boys and girls. Given the class of people who frequent a store like FAO Schwarz however, these dated stereotypes may still be pertinent. In the upper class of society, boys still make the money and have careers. Girls are the ones to have children and keep the home in working order.
Especially in today’s society where these barriers between girls and boys are falling, I don’t believe there needs to be such a clear divide. If a girl wants to learn science and have that type of inclination, she shouldn’t have to go into a clearly designated ‘boys’ section to do so. Girls should be given more options than having children (as is depicted by the doll nursery) and cooking (cooking classes and parties are available in-store). They should be encouraged to have a science section of their own.
Getting back to the design aspect of the store, one of the things the store does well is to have all smaller toys and candies at eye level of the child. They are all reachable and able to be grabbed and used by the child visiting the store. When you first enter the store, the child is able to clearly see the huge stuffed animals to know they want one, and then are able to grab one right off the shelf. When you walk into the candy section, all of a sudden the bins and choices are all at the height of a child. The parents and adults have to bend down to get candy. When walking around the stores upper floor, all the toys for younger children are at a lower height to make them reachable and easier for the child to interact.
Part of the wonder of the store is the ability for children to be able to interact with the items for sale. At no point is the product unreachable or off limits. As a matter of fact the design lends itself to be played with. The Muppet station for instance, lets you pick and choose exactly how you want your Muppet built. The kids are able to play with different designs and options before finally picking a muppet to be built. The model train track has a button at child height and eye level so that there is immediate interaction. The life sized lego and mega block forms are interactive and can be closely analyzed by the child to see how it is done.
This interactive design feature is not relegated to children alone. In the baby/toddler section, there are mock ups of nurseries. These come complete with rockers and chairs to better envision how it would look in your home. The reading corners have smaller tables and chairs for the children, but adults also have a space to read and sit.
Lastly, there is an adult gallery of unique Disney and cartoon art. While it is set up like its own separate section on the upper floor, it is characteristically made for the child in each grown up.
That is the beauty of the design behind FAO Schwarz. It is the ability to make every individual who walks through the door feel like there is someplace in this world for them. You know you are in a store, and you know said store is in NYC, but you lose yourself in the world that is created. Somewhere, behind some turn and some section, you will find something that makes you feel like you were a part of the world that was created.
This week our goal was to design layouts for different types of users using FAO Schwarz as a guideline. The first challenge was to design the path through the store that an 8 year old girl would travel with her mother who is a waitress. In my layout I tried to incorporate all of the sections that a mother and daughter would frequent. This would include the candy bar, the doll section and dippin dots. 
