I was invited by Globe Telecom to have an exclusive interview with the Multi-awarded designer Tim Kobe—lauded for transforming the retail landscape through his work on the iconic Apple Store in New York City — he arrived in the Philippines to visit the revolutionary “Generation 3” stores that he especially redesigned for Globe Telecom. Globe tapped Tim Kobe in remodeling its stores to set the standard for store design and retail experience in the Philippines and in the world.
Tim Kobe is the CEO and founder of Eight Inc., a strategic design firm with offices in San Francisco, New York, Honolulu, Tokyo, London, Singapore, and Beijing. The “8 design human experience”—which hints at the Generation 3 store promise—states that “we design meaningful experiences. Experiences with emotion and purpose that change the way people think, feel, and do.”
A graduate of Environmental Design from Art Center College of Design, Kobe began his career working as a designer for The Burdick Group, a design firm based in in San Francisco California, In 1987, Kobe became a founding partner in West Office Design Associates, focusing on museum and exhibition design for several science museum exhibitions in the US and Hong Kong.
Years later, Kobe founded the globally recognized strategic design firm Eight Inc. At Eight Inc., Kobe worked with numerous brands in the retail and commercial space including Apple, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Nike, Coke, Knoll and Citibank, among others.
Beyond his duties at Eight Inc., Kobe is also trustee at Art Center College of Design and currently serving as Chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Grabhorn Institute in San Francisco California.
Together with Kobe, Globe is set to revolutionize customer experience through a highly engaging retail concept that reimagines the digital lifestyles of Filipinos. The new stores will feature interactive lifestyle vignettes that will showcase numerous products within interesting displays that are relevant to customers. The installations are flexible and reconfigurable enabling the store to transform, keeping the environment always fresh and giving customers a reason to return.
As Globe Telecom makes way for Kobe’s retail concept, it has closed down two of its biggest stores in SM North Edsa and Limketkai Mall in Cagayan de Oro. The two stores will reopen in December 2014 promising a groundbreaking experience for its customers.
Prior to opening, the stores will feature themed surprises – Arts, Community, and Technology. Globe has commissioned a number of local artists to turn these stores into live art galleries that showcase murals exhibiting the vision Globe Telecom and Kobe’s Eight Inc. have for its upcoming Generation 3 stores.
For weeks now, local artists have treated Globe customers and retail onlookers to live art performances at their stores in SM North EDSA in Manila and Limketkai Mall in Cagayan De Oro. Art enthusiasts and followers on social media have been keeping tabs through #Gen3nextACT on Twitter and photos uploaded on Facebook since the art event began last September 25.
I was very lucky to have meet and talk in person Tim Kobe last November 7 at the Limketkai Luxe Hotel when he visited here in Cagayan de Oro to check his designed Globe Generation 3 store.
