Whiteley Shopping Centre: Container Pop-Up Retail Shop

Earlier this year, we teamed up with Xcite Campaign Management to create something truly unique: a container pop-up retail shop for Whiteley Shopping Centre in Hampshire, which opened on 23 May 2013. This wasn’t your average retail space; the brief called for a semi-permanent structure that would seamlessly blend with the development while still standing out.
Enter the Treehouse—a stunning, two-tier design crafted from shipping containers, with a contemporary twist. The concept? A modern-day treehouse, complete with a public space nestled in its "branches." Not only did this structure make a striking visual statement, but it was also designed to be dismantled, moved, and reassembled, making it the ultimate reusable pop-up space.
Once Xcite had dreamed up this bold vision, it was over to us to bring it to life. Working closely with their team, we turned sketches into a vibrant reality. The result? A head-turning, versatile retail space that came together beautifully—and quickly, as captured in a fantastic stop-motion video by Full Circle, which shows us hard at work building the Treehouse at Whiteley.
After spending a lively summer captivating shoppers in Southampton, the Treehouse is now taking a well-earned rest in storage. But not for long! It’s set to reappear later this year in Glasgow, ready to wow a whole new crowd.
A container pop-up retail shop with treehouse vibes and endless possibilities? Now that’s what we call building creativity branch by branch!
More magic this way
There’s plenty more eye-popping, jaw-dropping, mind-blowing, supersized, spectacular creations here: