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      Studio Lotus wraps stone lattices around museum-cum-jewellery store in Jaipur

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      New Delhi practice Studio Lotus has used stone lattices and frescoes depicting regional architecture to embellish the Museum of Meenakari Heritage and Sunita Shekhawat jewellery store in India.

      Designed as the flagship store for Sunita Shekhawat’s eponymous jewellery brand in Jaipur, the building contains a museum focused on the craft of Meenakari on its ground floor.
      Studio Lotus designed the museum-cum-store for the brandAccording to Studio Lotus, it aimed to “foster an environment where the act of purchasing jewellery is not the primary goal”, but instead becomes a “natural conclusion of a transformative experience”.
      “The underlying emotion behind the Meenakari museum – the first of its kind – becomes the client’s way of paying homage to the city that has given her so much, while also establishing a novel paradigm in luxury retail design,” the team explained.
      Multiple historic influences shape the design language of the buildingWorking within the structure of a partially complete building on the site, Studio Lotus created bevelled balconies to produce a form that “intricately layers patterns and details and draw from different periods, woven together into one cohesive image”.

      The details and lattices take cues from historic influences such as Rajputana, Mughal, and Art Deco – as a nod to the city’s architecture and Shekhawat’s approach to jewellery design.
      The store was place in on the lower ground floorShekhawat uses Meenakari, or the art of enamelling metal, as the foundation of her jewellery work.
      To reflect this, Studio Lotus convinced Shekhawat to create a museum or “storytelling space” that presents the history of Meenakari craftsmanship on the ground floor, in a space that was originally earmarked for the store.

      Studio Saar looks to Indian architecture for cultural centre in Rajasthan

      “We seized this challenge as an opportunity to create a narrative gallery,” Studio Lotus founder Ambrish Arora told Dezeen.
      “In collaboration with Usha Balakrishnan and Siddhartha Das Studio, we were able to create or, rather, open up the world of enamelling from different perspectives for the visitor.”
      The semi-vaulted ceilings feature frescoesThe store was placed below, on the lower ground floor, with a gallery space clad in an off-white araish lime stucco surrounded by private pods designed for one-on-one client interactions.
      Arora explained that the wide floorplate and tall ceilings of the lower ground floor “lends itself well to the exclusive, by-appointment-only, bespoke nature of the business, and of the product too — the lack of natural light being conducive to the controlled lighting necessary for jewellery display”.
      A curved staircase leads to the storeThe semi-vaulted ceilings of the pods are adorned with frescoes by artists specialising in miniature paintings, which depict the region’s architecture, flora and fauna.
      The practice commissioned CraftCanvas, a collective of artisan communities in India, to develop the frescoes. The scale and curved profile of the ceilings proved to be a challenge for the artists.
      “It took repeated trial and error and a commitment, collaboratively, to reach a certain benchmark,” said Arora..
      Individual rooms were designed for client meetingsAll of the floors within the building are connected by sculptural staircase at the centre of the building.
      Shekhawat’s office and design studio are located on the first floor, while a restaurant and bar is planned for the top floor, which has views across the city.
      This floor was wrapped in glazing and shaded by stone lattices, which was designed to “respond to the inward-looking program on the lower floors”.

      Folded stone lattices filter sunlight into the upper space that is planned as a restaurantThe exterior of the building was clad in Jodhpur red sandstone, paying homage to Shekhawat’s hometown and in line with the colour scheme of Jaipur’s – or the Pink City’s – buildings.
      According to the practice, it aimed to engage with local craftspeople throughout the construction process – from crafting the furniture inside the space to cladding the facade.
      Jodhpur red sandstone hand-carved by indigenous craftspeople features on the facadeStudio Lotus was founded in 2002 by Arora, Ankur Choksi and Sidhartha Talwar. The studio works on a wide range of cultural, residential, commercial and mixed-use projects – including a government building in India clad in intricate brickwork.
      Other Indian architecture projects recently published on Dezeen include a home in Hyderabad topped with a lantern-like roof and a set of six holiday homes in Goa defined by peach-toned walls and arched openings.
      The photography is by Ishita Sitwala

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      Mexico City boutique by MYT+GLVDK features double-conical staircase

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      Mexico City studio MYT+GLVDK has designed a concept store in the south of the Mexican capital, featuring a staircase with both concave and convex portions beneath a vaulted ceiling.

      Uncommon Ground is a high-end fashion and accessories boutique situated in the Artz Pedregal shopping mall, close to the city’s southern periphery.
      The Uncommon Ground boutique is divided into a main floor and a mezzanine level at the backMYT+GLVDK, led by Andrés Mier y Terán and Regina Galvanduque, was commissioned to design the architecture, furnishings and interiors for the store that carries brands including Courrèges, Maison Kitsuné, Ami Paris, Officine Générale and Moscot.
      “The hallmark of Uncommon Ground is to display the latest tendencies in clothing and accessories based on a dedicated edition of trends and themes that capture the air du temps of the season,” said Mier y Terán and Galvanduque.
      The two levels are connected by a double-conical staircaseThe duo decided to create multiple display areas across the 246-square-metre main floor and a 40-square-metre mezzanine at the back.

      These two levels are connected by a circular staircase with concentric treads that splay outward in a semi-circle on its lower half and are set inward like an amphitheatre on the top half.
      A vaulted ceiling comprising tubes wrapped in recycled cowhide arches over the spaceBeneath the mezzanine, the conical form of the upper steps is expressed as bands of brushed brass, which are reflected in golden mirrored panels across the adjoining wall and low ceiling.
      More semi-circular steps below form a display for shoes within this back room, where other garments are hung in niches on either side.
      Beneath the mezzanine, the staircase is expressed as a series of brushed-brass bands above a stepped shoe displayThe main floor, where the ceiling is double-height, is covered by a vaulted ceiling made up of ribbed elements wrapped in recycled cowhide.
      In the centre of the space, a structural column and diagonal beam are incorporated “a focal point that continues with the rhythm of geometric shapes and lends character to the overall concept” according to the designers.

      MYT+GLVDK completes eclectic food court Cocina Abierta in Mexico City

      A colour scheme of yellow, beige and terracotta is applied across the architectural elements and the furniture, which is also designed in cylindrical and arc shapes.
      “The use of clean lines, tubular segments and curves can be seen in every direction as an organic sequence of impressive visual strength,” said MYT+GLVDK.
      Furniture throughout the store is designed in cylindrical and arc shapesThe lighting scheme includes a series of light boxes placed within display niches on both levels, to highlight the products, as well as track and spotlights that give the entire store a warm glow.
      The Uncommon Ground logo is illuminated vertically on the central column and horizontally above the fully glazed storefront.
      The boutique is located inside the Artz Pedregal shopping mall in the south of Mexico CityAlso in Artz Pedregal, MYT+GLVDK previously designed the Cocina Abierta food court that takes cues from Japanese and Mexican design traditions.
      Elsewhere in the city, the studio recently completed the interiors of fast-casual restaurant Órale Milanga, where exposed concrete walls are covered in wavy green metal mesh.
      The photography is by Alfonso de Béjar.

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      Gubi opens first UK showroom in London townhouse takeover

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      A Georgian townhouse filled with period details is now Gubi House London, the first dedicated showroom that the furniture brand has opened outside Denmark.

      Gubi partnered with Danish surface design studio File Under Pop to reimagine the listed building as a showspace for its collection, which includes furniture by designers such as GamFratesi and Space Copenhagen.
      Gubi House London occupies a listed Georgian townhouseA curated colour palette combines with material finishes including Spanish clay tiles and Italian lava stone to create four floors of rooms with a contemporary feel.
      “To be in a townhouse is a unique opportunity,” explained Marie Kristine Schmidt, chief brand officer for Gubi.
      Furniture is on display across four different floors”We could create something very domestic in feel. We have smaller rooms where we can create different experiences and we can tell different stories on each floor,” she told Dezeen.

      The showroom is located on Charterhouse Square, a garden square framed by cobbled streets, and will be open by appointment.
      Danish surface design studio File Under Pop oversaw the colour and material paletteGubi was founded in 1967 by furniture designers Lisbeth and Gubi Olsen, who later handed it down to their sons, Jacob and Sebastian Gubi Olsen. Jacob is still a shareholder and a member of the board.
      The London expansion was first mooted in 2020, not long after the once family-owned company was acquired by Nordic private equity group Axcel and the Augustinus Foundation.
      Furniture on show includes the Croissant Sofa designed by Ilum Wikkelsø in 1962Schmidt said the UK is a key market for the brand as it looks to expand its intentional profile.
      “London is a melting pot right now, particularly in the hotel and restaurant scene, so for us, it is a really important city to be in,” she said during a tour of the building.
      “I think there is a lot of untapped potential for us here.”
      A ground-floor dining room features hand-painted forest-green wallpaperEach floor of Gubi House London has its own character, drawing on different influences reflected in the materials and fabrics that feature in across the product collection.
      The ground floor, described as “boutique chic”, features a trio of spaces designed to emulate the sense of comfort and luxury of a boutique hotel.
      Also on the ground floor, a blue fireplace sits behind the Moon dining tableKey details include a fireplace colour-blocked in a deep inky shade of blue, which serves as a backdrop to the brand’s Moon dining table and Bat dining chairs.
      Also on display here are several reissued 20th-century lamps, including designs by Finnish designer Paavo Tynell, Danish architect Louis Weisdorf and Swedish designer Greta M Grossman.
      The first-floor rooms take cues from the 1970sTowards the rear, a room with hand-painted forest-green wallpaper serves as a dining space.
      The first floor takes cues from the 1970s, with an earthy colour palette.

      &Tradition designs entire apartment in takeover of Copenhagen townhouse

      Key pieces here include the Pacha lounge chair, a 1975 design by the late French designer Pierre Paulin, upholstered in a striped fabric and a cascading arrangement of the Semi Pendant lamps, designed in 1968 by Danish design duo Claus Bonderup and Torsten Thorup.
      This floor also includes a bar, which serves as a centrepiece in the smaller of the two rooms.
      The second floor was envisioned as a co-working environmentThe second floor was envisioned as a co-working environment, with furniture that emulates a contemporary bistro, while the uppermost level offers a more bohemian feel.
      “We wanted to create a space that is inspiring,” said Schmidt. “It wouldn’t be right for our brand to go into a commercial space.”
      Gubi House London is located at 12 Charterhouse SquareThe experience is different from the warehouse feel of Gubi’s Copenhagen headquarters, which occupies a former tobacco factory in the waterside Nordhavn area.
      “This is how we see Gubi in the context of the UK,” added Schmidt.
      “It was fun to play with a building that is so pleasant and give it a very fresh, modern, contemporary look.”
      In Copenhagen, Danish brand &Tradition took over a townhouse during design festival 3 Days of Design, while fellow Danish brand Hay unveiled its renovated Copenhagen townhouse in 2021.
      The photography is by Michael Sinclair.

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      In Common With opens Quarters showroom and hospitality venue in Tribeca

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      New York lighting brand In Common With has opened a multi-functional space in a 19th-century Tribeca loft in time for NYCxDesign, and will host a shoppable experience and a variety of events during the festival and beyond.

      In Common With founders Felicia Hung and Nick Ozemba renovated the 8,000-square-foot (473-square-metre) space on the second floor of a historic building on Broadway as a venue to host events and showcase installations and collections both by themselves and others.
      Designed with a residential feel, the Quarters venue includes a wine bar for hosting events”A marriage of warmth and grandeur, whimsy and irreverence, Quarters is both a concept store and community gathering space,” said the duo.
      “Inspired by Tribeca’s rich artistic history – and by the participatory spirit of 1960s ad hoc art spaces – Quarters shifts between the expected and the altogether disarming, a curated space and one that’s improvisational and alive.”
      Quarters is divided into multiple interconnected spaces, including one styled as a living roomDesigned and styled to have a residential feel, the venue unfolds through various interconnected rooms, including a bar, lounge, library and great room.

      Each features richly hued decor and is populated with artful vintage and contemporary designs, the majority of which are shoppable.
      The majority of the design products on show are available to buyThere’s also bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and powder rooms that feature dramatic marble sinks and are lined with handmade tiles.
      Other highlights include large tapestries hung on the walls, built-in burl wood storage that matches a counter base in a foyer, and the bar area that’s framed with a fresco by artist Claudio Bonuglia.
      The furniture, lighting and artwork presented in the space – by In Common With and many of their collaborators – will change frequently”Quarters is more than a retail concept; it’s a platform for showcasing our unique view on domesticity and hospitality and sharing our creative vision with a broader audience,” said Ozemba.
      “It represents our imagination, values, and ambitions in a tangible form, and it’s an open invitation for others to find inspiration within our world.”
      In Common With’s lighting collections including Flora, designed by Sophie Lou Jacobsen, are dispersed throughoutSince starting In Common With six years ago, Hung and Ozemba have collaborated on lighting collections with designers including Sophie Lou Jacobsen, Danny Kaplan and Simone Bodmer-Turner.
      All of these are represented throughout the different rooms, in pendant, floor, table and chandelier variations and multiple colourways.
      The various spaces, including bedrooms, a kitchen and a dining room, are all decorated with a mix of vintage and contemporary furnitureThe launch of Quarters also coincides with In Common With’s debut collection of wooden furniture, which features hand-painted trompe l’oeil surfaces and customisable inlaid ceramics created with artist Shane Gabier.
      Other new pieces on view include glass lighting and objects with hand-cut graphic patterns, and a three-piece series of hand-embroidered fabric lighting fixtures.

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      Hung and Ozemba plan to use the space as a platform for their fellow designers and artists, as well as their own work, and to entertain their peers with wine evenings and dinners.
      The displays will be updated to present new projects and collections, and to reflect In Common With’s fluid approach to collaborative design.
      Highlights include a marble counter with a burl wood base in a foyer area”By welcoming others and fostering our artistic community, [Quarters] will continue to evolve in new and exciting ways,” said Hung.
      “With each new perspective and collaboration, Quarters will transform again and again, pushing the boundaries of design, expression, and creative connection.”
      Bathrooms and powder rooms feature handmade tilesQuarters launched just in time for NYCxDesign, New York’s annual design festival, and is hosting a variety of events over the course of the month. Check out Dezeen’s NYCxDesign highlights and all of the events we’re hosting.
      In Common With previously opened a studio, showroom and production facility inside a Brooklyn warehouse in 2022.
      The photography is by William Jess Laird.

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      Red staircase anchors Diesel store in Miami Design District

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      Fashion brand Diesel has debuted a retail design concept at its store in the Miami Design District, featuring raw metal surfaces and a red lacquered spiral staircase.

      Designed under the creative direction of Glenn Martens, who joined the brand in 2020, the industrial-style store is intended to reflect “the brand’s signature bold attitude”.
      Diesel’s new store in Miami Design District debuts an industrial-style retail concept”Envisioned as a fresh, powerful expression of Diesel’s design edge and identity, the store is anchored by a glass facade framed in signature Diesel red with the brand’s red-and-white Biscotto logo,” said the design team.
      Red was also applied selectively to interior elements, including a statement spiral staircase and a wall behind at the back of the store.
      The store’s focal point is a red lacquered-metal spiral staircaseThe helical lacquered-metal form has solid balustrades and steps with a diamond-plate texture for added grip.

      It leads up to a second level where another red wall with floating shelves is used for product displays.
      The staircase has solid balustrades and steps with diamond-plate texture for added gripAcross the two floors, the 1,900-square-foot (177-square-metre) store presents the full Diesel collection.
      Bags, shoes, accessories and fragrances are presented on the lower level, while areas dedicated to denim, ready-to-wear apparel and footwear can be found upstairs.
      The upper level also has a red display wall that stands out against the concrete and metallic surfacesExposed concrete floors and ceilings, and walls covered in riveted raw metal panels and mirrors create a monochromatic backdrop that allows the red elements to stand out.
      “Throughout the space, minimalist red leather couches and streamlined silver fixtures create a strong sense of structure with a touch of softness,” said the team.

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      Vitrines for displaying accessories on the ground floor sit atop crinkled metal bases, though the sales counter opposite is flat and sleek.
      Both levels have floor-to-ceiling glass across the street facade, and at night, fluorescent lighting throughout the store gives off a harsh white glow.
      The ground floor features vitrines atop crinkled metal basesFollowing the Miami store unveiling, the interior concept will be rolled out to global Diesel locations.
      The brand was founded in 1978 by Italian entrepreneur Renzo Rosso, who still serves as its president.
      The Diesel store joins many luxury fashion brands in Miami Design DistrictMiami Design District is home to the stores of many luxury fashion labels, each of which has exterior and interior treatments designed to reflect its distinct brand identity.
      Other examples include Louis Vuitton’s menswear space, which Dutch studio Marcel Wanders wrapped in a patterned facade informed by the brand’s monogram, and a Christian Louboutin boutique that’s covered in tree bark.
      The photography is courtesy of Diesel.

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      Neri&Hu creates “wooden hut” and “cave-dwelling” interiors for Shanghai stores

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      Chinese studio Neri&Hu has completed two retail spaces for Shanghai fashion company Jisifang, using wood and concrete to evoke “a more primitive state of being”.

      The two adjacent stores are located at Panlong Tiandi development in Shanghai. One was designed for Jisifang Boutique and the other for its sister brand Woven Moonlight, also owned by Jisifang.
      Neri&Hu has designed two adjacent stores in ShanghaiAccording to the Shanghai-based studio, each store was tailored to its distinct brand identities and varying spatial requirements.
      A wooden house was inserted into the 110-square-metre Jisifang Boutique, the sloping roof of which takes advantage of the full height space to create a “spacious sanctuary”, the studio said.
      A wooden house structure was inserted into Jisifang Boutique”The design concept is inspired by French architecture theorist Marc-Antoine Laugier’s Primitive Hut, said to be the fundamental prototype of all architecture,” explained Neri&Hu.

      “Stripped of decoration and style, the primitive hut establishes a relationship between humans and the natural world, providing both shelter and a connection to nature,” it added.
      White oak furniture creates a warm interiorA long table and benches made of white oak are placed at the centre of the space, with fashion garments displayed at the lower end of both sides of the roof.
      Handmade ceramic floor tiles with muted colours were used throughout the space, referencing the warm and natural textures of the linen products that the brand is known for.
      Glass bricks with rustic metal lining are featured on the facadeThe facade features glass bricks lined with rustic metal elements, inviting natural light and framing views of the bustling retail street outside into the shop.
      In contrast, Neri&Hu created a cave-like shelter made of concrete for the 200-square-metre Woven Moonlight.

      Neri&Hu divides Shanghai fashion boutique with fabrics and marble screens

      Concrete walls enclose the main display area, which features carved-out display niches. These have been lined with translucent linen curtains and fitted with custom-built walnut cabinetry, contrasting the roughness of the concrete.
      A double-pitch sloped ceiling was clad with the same concrete as the walls. Skylights on the ceiling, as well as full-height glass windows on one side, fill the space with plenty of natural light.
      Linen and walnut wood contrast the concrete in Woven Moonlight”In the case of both the wooden hut and the cave-dwelling, we are exploring the original space of our humanity, harkening a return to a more primitive state of being,” said Neri&Hu.
      “We hope that when people touch the linen fabric of Jisifang, their mood and spirit may transcend the urban environment, back to nature,” it continued.
      The Wooven Moonlight store features a double-pitch sloped ceiling clad with concreteNeri&Hu was founded by architects Lyndon Neri and Rosanna Hu in 2004 in Shanghai.
      The studio also recently completed a simplicity contemporary art gallery, and a fashion boutique with fabrics and marble screens, both in Shanghai.
      The photography is by Pedro Pegenaute.
      Project credits:
      Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana HuAssociate-in-charge: Siyu ChenDesign team: Greg Wu, Jinghan Li, Nicolas Fardet, Saint Xu, Shuan Wu, Yinan Zhu, Yoki YuFF&E design and procurement: Design RepublicLighting Consultant: DLX Lighting DesignContractor: Nantong Huaqiang Construction

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      EBBA references modernist architecture at WatchHouse coffee shop

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      Architecture studio EBBA has completed a store for coffee brand WatchHouse that draws on modernist design to provide a calming environment in the heart of the City of London.

      Situated in the 30 Fenchurch Street building of the Square Mile financial district, the store was designed by EBBA for coffee company WatchHouse, which has several cafes around London and also sells its own roasts.
      The store interior references modernist architectureHaving previously completed several other stores for the brand, EBBA was tasked with transforming an empty unit in the landmark office development into an inviting space aimed at attracting visitors from the adjacent lobby.
      “This store offered the opportunity to think carefully about how to make a high quality and calming retail environment that also caters to the flexible operation of the visitors and the building in which it sits,” EBBA founder Benni Allan told Dezeen.
      The space aims to offer a calming environmentThe project brief called for a space focused on retail that also integrates a bar for serving customers. The interior has a more open and relaxed feel than the brand’s other locations, which operate more like typical coffee shops.

      With ample comfortable seating available in the adjacent atrium, EBBA chose to incorporate different settings where customers can rest while waiting for their coffee.
      Furniture including lounge chairs arranged around a coffee table and bar stools at the counter allow the space to be used in a variety of ways.
      Wooden seating is provided in an adjacent atriumElements of the shop’s design are informed by European modernist architecture. In particular, Allan drew on the large lobbies of banks and civic buildings such as libraries, which he said seem to “carry a particular feeling of calmness”.
      Referencing the work of architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, EBBA used grid patterns and clean lines to bring order to the interior, while sculptural objects help to partition the space.
      “The overall concept was to create the sense of a box within a box,” Allan added. “The reference to Miesian buildings can be understood in wanting to establish a clear logic to the space through its grid and making objects that help to demarcate space.”

      Bottega Veneta creative director Matthieu Blazy combines glass bricks and walnut for first store

      EBBA designed and built all of the furniture for the store, including the eight-metre-long stainless steel counter that forms the centrepiece of the space. This monolithic element is used for coffeemaking as well as providing a communal workspace.
      The large coffee table made from blocks of solid oak is intended to resemble stacked timber. Its construction echoes the grid of slatted timber panels cladding the ceiling.
      EBBA chose a material palette that reflects WatchHouse’s goal to create places people want to spend time in. Warm and natural tones and textures offer a respite from the busy urban setting.
      An eight-metre stainless steel counter centres the space”We opted for warm oak panelling, which gracefully cocoons the space, and a unique Ceppo stone floor, which enhances the store’s gridded pattern whilst complementing the feeling of civic grandeur,” said the architects.
      The rear wall is lined with full-height cabinets that conceal the necessary utility spaces, adding to the store’s sense of cohesion and simplicity.
      Minimalist shelving used to display WatchHouse’s simply packaged produce blend in with the relaxed setting.
      All of the furniture was designed and built by EBBAEBBA has worked with WatchHouse on several of its venues, including another site within the 30 Fenchurch Street building that also looks to balance contemporary aesthetics with nods to the City of London’s heritage.
      The studio, founded in 2017 by Spanish architect Benni Allan, has completed a number of projects in London including a temporary education centre built using only reusable components and a residential extension that combines brutalist-style materials with details inspired by a Roman villa.
      The photography is courtesy of EBBA. 

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      Partisans sculpts limestone facade for Rolex boutique in Toronto

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      Toronto architecture studio Partisans has used parametric modelling to create an undulating stone storefront for luxury watch brand Rolex.

      Partisans’ latest application of its digital modelling and fabrication technique resulted in a sculptural facade that wraps the ground floor of a high-rise on Bloor Street in Downtown Toronto.
      The flowing lines of the Rolex store’s limestone facade emanate from the building’s existing architectural featuresThe studio worked with Italian architect Arturo Tedeschi on the project, which is intended to give the store presence and allow it to stand out from others in the busy shopping district, as well as reflect the high-precision of Rolex timepieces.
      Limestone panels affixed to the building’s exterior are shaped to echo the forms and textures of the brand’s watches.
      The stone panels are shaped to curve around windows and emulate the brand’s watch designsThe material was chosen for its luxurious appearance and longevity, according to Partisans founder Josephson, who said: “Stone is future heritage, it’s having a renaissance.”

      The panels continue the geometry of the existing building features, such as the rigid vertical mullions, but flow into softer shapes that curve around large windows and over the entrance awning.
      More stone appears in the boutique’s interior. Photo by Robert Lowdon Photography”Each stone bay was cut according to measurements found through 3D scans of the existing building,” said Partisans designer Ian Pica-Limbaseanu.
      Niches are integrated into the stonework to house cove lighting that washes over the curvaceous forms at night, yet the junctions between the stone and the glass were trickiest to detail, according to Pica-Limbaseanu.
      Dark green seating matches a glass artwork, while walnut panelling and furniture contrast the paler stone. Photo by Robert Lowdon Photography”The window detailing, specifically, had a tall order of requirements to satisfy,” he said.
      “Not only did it need to meet the exterior stonework at exact locations accurate to within a quarter of an inch, but it also needed to allow for easy maintenance and proper energy performance for what was otherwise an utterly unprecedented look to glazing on Bloor Street.”

      Partisans creates pixelated brick facade for Toronto house

      Tedeschi applied his computational design skills to create an algorithm for the parametric compositions etched into the limestone across the east facade.
      These forms follow the geometries of engravings seen on watch-face dials while also responding to the unique qualities of the structure’s elevation.
      Niches in the limestone facade house cove lights that wash over the facade at nightThe store interiors feature plenty more stone, whose creamy tone is contrasted with dark walnut panelling and furniture.
      Dark green seating matches a glass wall artwork that bears the Rolex logo, which separates the main shop floor with a more intimate lounge area tucked behind.
      The facade was designed to reflect the high-precision of Rolex timepieces and to stand out on Toronto’s high-end Bloor StreetPartisans has previously used parametric design tools to create a rolling, pixellated brick facade for a single-family home, and a high-rise informed by architectural “revision clouds” – both in Toronto.
      The firm was founded by Josephson in 2012, and has since completed a pool house in Ontario with an undulating timber roof and a lakeside sauna designed as a cavernous wooden grotto.
      The photography is by Doublespace Photography, unless stated otherwise.

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