Every place has a story based on its location, people and their lifestyle. ESP. Design Studios captures those stories, their look, their feelings and their lust for life to create a place for fashion, food and brands to become retail and leisure experiences.

The new Shopping & Entertainment Center AMBAR, located in the rural green of Samara, Russia, is one of the latest example on how storytelling can drive the architectural, interior and brand design process. As a green field development, the story follows deep Russian traditions and habits, which has been re-interpreted for a new generation.

Inspired by the Ambar, a barn on the Russian countryside and historically known as a storage place for your beloved belongings, ESP. brings back to life already forgotten memories from the golden days and pictures of the past.

“It’s like when you entering your garden house or antic closet retrieving already forgotten things of the past,” says Toni Jörgens, Managing Director of ESP. “Every piece brings back the memories linked to your childhood, like the old postcards or the small red bicycle you always wanted. These are the memories to make you smile”. Thus, walking through AMBAR, there are many things to discover. Whether you are looking for a comfortable seat on the couch right at the fireplace in the Living Room or remembering your old toys in the Kid’s room, filled up in some of the biggest dollhouses ever seen. Or just taking a stroll through the green wilderness of the Winter Garden. At AMBAR you can walk down memory lane, but you will find a lot of new things to discover too.

Design: ESP. Design Studios
Photography: Roland Horn

About ESP. Design Studios GmbH
ESP. Design Studios is a German based architectural, interior and brand design firm that combines storytelling with well-founded retail and entertainment expertise to create places as experiences.

About AMBAR Shopping & Entertainment Center
Developed by Viktor & Co. Corporation, AMBAR is one of the largest Shopping & Entertainment Center in Samara, Russia with more than 90.000 sqm of leasable area and over 200 shops and food outlets.