New York, New York, USA
In 2013, HARMAN tasked Gensler with its first North American flagship store on Madison Avenue to showcase its broad collection of consumer audio brands under one roof.
To establish a strong brand presence for the HARMAN parent brand, the store was designed as a product showroom with a merchandising strategy focused on choice and flexibility, allowing visitors to browse by brand, product type, or lifestyle use case.
The 8,000- square-foot space provides customers with opportunities to discover the Harman product portfolio while engaging its dynamic brand stories through unique, interactive installations.
Beyond interior design, Gensler provided merchandising strategy, brand expression, environmental graphics, experience design, and technology integration services.
The holistic design strategy celebrates each product’s personality and history while supporting an overarching Harman story.
Christopher Payne, courtesy of Gensler
HARMAN’s partnership with Gensler has continued with the opening of the first JBL-branded retail store in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood in 2020. Embodying the city’s energy and passion for entertainment, this location amplifies JBL’s award-winning audio through an arena for superior sound.
The hero stage truss, visible from Houston Street, creates a flexible armature to exhibit product collections, share brand stories, and host activations and performances.
The store’s “backstage” displays allow customers to demo products, compare models, and learn about personalization services, while a dedicated gaming area invites shoppers to experience the new JBL Quantum gaming headsets.
Courtesy of JBL
Project: JBL New York Flagship Store (New York, NY), HARMAN New York Flagship Store (Munich, Germany)
Designer: Gensler
Client: HARMAN International
Photography: Courtesy of HARMAN International and JBL
