New York, USA
A holistic transformation of this magnitude has not taken place in the building’s 80-year history. Tiffany & Co. has revealed exterior renderings of the transformation underway at its Fifth Avenue flagship store. Specific aspects of the transformation include a reimagined upper addition to its landmark building at 727 Fifth Avenue.
The original 1940 Tiffany flagship designed by Cross & Cross was a symbol of modern architecture—its limestone façade distinguished with bands of continuous vertical windows. The existing upper structure was built in 1980 as an office space, closed off to customers and incongruent with the original architecture.
The collaboration between OMA and Tiffany began with a close look at the existing conditions of the multi-story retail to conceive a spectrum of interventions—from preservation to reprogramming, renovation of the ground floor and reimagining how the top of the building is expressed. The reorganization of program establishes a clear zoning throughout the building creating a more fluid circulation through and up the building. The top of the building is conceived as an addition that would provide a new dimension to Tiffany’s retail ecosystem and speaks to the brand’s diversity of retail experiences. The multi-functional upper volume provides an infrastructure for Tiffany to expand their retail repertoire, large enough to accommodate the brand’s variety of events and activities. This distinct space will create a new facet to the brand’s identity that is communicated to the street and neighborhood.
In the transformation, the upper addition (floors 8, 9 and 10) of the 10-story architectural icon located on Fifth Avenue are completely reimagined from office space originally constructed in 1980, into a new exhibition, event, and clienteling space.
Surrounded by a curtain of undulating glass complementing the classic limestone façade below, the contemporary structure above this historic building echoes the height and grandeur of the flagship’s timeless main floor.
“The Tiffany & Co. Fifth Avenue flagship is arguably one of the most beloved and well known luxury retail spaces in the world. It’s a place where so many have memories of important moments in their lives, filled with emotion and anticipation of the extraordinary,” said Reed Krakoff, Chief Artistic Officer, Tiffany & Co.
“Tiffany’s newly transformed flagship will reflect the future of our brand, while honoring our 183- year legacy.”
“Tiffany’s Fifth Avenue flagship is more than a retail space; it is a destination with a public dimension. The new addition is informed by programmatic needs of the evolving brand—a gathering place that acts as a contemporary counterpart to the iconic ground level space and its activities. The floating volume over a terrace provides a clear visual cue to a vertical journey of diverse experiences throughout the building,” said OMA Partner Shohei Shigematsu
Construction began on Tiffany’s flagship transformation in spring 2019 and is estimated to be complete in spring 2022.
Architects: The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)
Client: Tiffany & Co.