Dutch design practice, MVRDV has reopened their project, Crystal Houses, this time with a new tenant and façade. Originally constructed in 2016 for luxury fashion label Chanel, now it adds another luxury label, Hermès as tenant of the iconic shop front.
The usual brick finish was replaced by a glass replica of the building material, which dissolves into the traditional terracotta bricks on the upper levels. It is located in Amsterdam on the high-end shopping street, PC Hooftstraat.
The project’s jewel-like front was originally proposed as a way for Amsterdam to be home to distinctive, upmarket flagships without compromising the city’s historical character.
The project was created for Amsterdam-based retail and real-estate company, Warenar, envisioned originally as a re-creation of the traditional buildings that make up the existing urban fabric of the area.
To replace the traditional bricks, MVRDV worked with TU Delft, engineering firm ABT and contractor, Wessels Zeist. The materials were provided by glass manufacturer Poesia and Delo Industrial Adhesives. The enormous and intense research behind the project culminated in a shopfront that combines the transparency and delicacy of a glass retail frontage with the intricate complexity of traditional brick constructions.
For more information please visit MVRDV
Images by Daria Scagliola and Stijn Brakkee via of ArchDaily
Danish design brand Vipp has ventured to the Southern Hemisphere with the launch of its latest guesthouse, Vipp ...
Situated six storeys above ground, Freia is a striking new addition to Nantes’ urban landscape. Designed by local ...
Canadian studio Ste Marie has infused a serene, spa-like atmosphere into the new Monos store in Toronto, using ...
A 29-storey dual-tower hotel and apartment development has been given conditional approval by the State Commission Assessment Panel, ...
The completion of Parkline Place marks a major milestone for Sydney’s skyline, with the 39-storey commercial tower now ...
Specifier Source is brought to you by the same company that publishes Home Design, Grand Designs Australia Magazine, Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly Magazine, Outdoor Design Source, Build Home, CompleteHome and many more.