A reinterpretation of ancient Paris. Off-white flagship store by OMA
06/07/2021.
[Paris] France
metalocus, ALMUDENA PERLAZA
metalocus, ALMUDENA PERLAZA
Located near the renowned Place Vendôme, a few kilometers from the center of Paris, at the intersection between Rue de Castiglione and Rue du Mont Thabor, occupying the corner of a 19th-century building stands the Off-white main store, designed by the architecture studio OMA, this time led by Ellen van Loon, Samir Bantal, Giulio Margheri.
Off-white is a men's and women's clothing brand created by American designer Virgil Abloh, who created his first brand in 2012 called Pyrex Vision, and a year later in 2013, he created Off-White.
Off-white is a men's and women's clothing brand created by American designer Virgil Abloh, who created his first brand in 2012 called Pyrex Vision, and a year later in 2013, he created Off-White.
Off-white flagship store by OMA. Photograph by Kristian Ridder-Nielsen. Courtesy of OMA.
Off-white flagship store by OMA. Photograph by Kristian Ridder-Nielsen. Courtesy of OMA.
Off-white flagship store by OMA. Photograph by Kristian Ridder-Nielsen. Courtesy of OMA.
Off-white flagship store by OMA. Photograph by Kristian Ridder-Nielsen. Courtesy of OMA.
Off-white flagship store by OMA. Photograph by Kristian Ridder-Nielsen. Courtesy of OMA.
Off-white flagship store by OMA. Photograph by Kristian Ridder-Nielsen. Courtesy of OMA.
Off-white flagship store by OMA. Photograph by Kristian Ridder-Nielsen. Courtesy of OMA.
Furniture details by AMO. Off-white flagship store por OMA.
Model. Off-white flagship store by OMA
Collage. Off-white flagship store by OMA
Rue de Castiglione, Giussepe Canella 1829.
The project made by OMA is located under the arches of the Rue de Castiglione, where the main access to the store stands out, when entering the interior we find the semicircular corrugated glass lobby, which leads us to the ground floor.
The multifaceted style of the brand is also reflected in the project, the access by Rue du Mont Thabor immerses customers in what seems a different space from the previous one. On the ground floor, we will find the women's collection, in a space designed as an interpretation of the typical Parisian patio, while on the second floor we will have the men's collection, in a large space that can be modified to host concerts or exhibitions.
Regarding the store's furniture, it refers to the Parisian flea market and is designed by AMO.
The multifaceted style of the brand is also reflected in the project, the access by Rue du Mont Thabor immerses customers in what seems a different space from the previous one. On the ground floor, we will find the women's collection, in a space designed as an interpretation of the typical Parisian patio, while on the second floor we will have the men's collection, in a large space that can be modified to host concerts or exhibitions.
Regarding the store's furniture, it refers to the Parisian flea market and is designed by AMO.
Description of project by OMA
Two blocks away from Place Vendôme, Off-White Paris occupies a 19th century corner building at the intersection of Rue de Castiglione and Rue du Mont Thabor. The space combines Parisian elegance with industrial rawness, rethinking Parisian high-end retail. A courtyard, a gallery and a market extend over three floors, gradually revealing to the visitor Off-White’s diverse identity.
Under the arches of Rue de Castiglione is the store’s main entrance – a semi-circular vestibule of corrugated glass – which leads to the ground floor’s centerpiece: a reinterpretation of the typical Parisian courtyard, containing the women’s collection. Framed by arches inspired by the street’s portico, the courtyard’s walls and floors are cladded in white travertine. Sober and refined, the courtyard induces a calm and slow shopping experience but can also accommodate dynamic events such as fashion shows. The entrance on Rue du Mont Thabor leads to what feels like a completely different store. Light blue walls and a black terrazzo floor, filled with AMO-designed freestanding furniture, showcase Off-White’s brand partnerships.
The store’s multifaceted identity is further reinforced by the design of the upper floors. In the intimate atmosphere of the mezzanine, with its low ceiling and small windows, a space inspired by the aesthetics of the gift shop hosts the kids’ and homeware collections, as well as an exhibition wall. On the second floor, for the men’s collection, the high ceiling and large windows facing the city create a luminous, clear space, which can be easily reconfigured for concerts, art shows and parties. A foldable box finished with Sottsass-red veneer conceals the bar and the back of house. The floor accommodates freestanding display elements designed by AMO – metallic clothing racks, wooden tables and white travertine shelving systems – echoing the Parisian flea market. Contrasting combinations of textures and colors emphasize the store's repertoire of ambiences, creating an abstract reinterpretation of Paris.
More information
Architects
OMA.- Ellen van Loon, Samir Bantal, Giulio Margheri.
Project team
Team.- Lina Jaidi, Camille Filbien, Natalie Konopelski, Valerio di Festa, Alexandru Tintea, Claudio Araya, Yushang Zhang, Giada Zuan.
Collaborators
Local architect.- Barbarito Bancel Architectes. Chandeliers.- De Studio.
Client
Location
8 Rue de Castiglione, Paris, France.
Photography
OMA. Office for Metropolitan Architecture
Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) is an international practice operating within the traditional boundaries of architecture and urbanism. AMO, a research and design studio, applies architectural thinking to domains beyond. OMA is led by eight partners – Rem Koolhaas, Reinier de Graaf, Ellen van Loon, Shohei Shigematsu, Iyad Alsaka, Chris van Duijn, Jason Long, and Managing Partner-Architect David Gianotten – and maintains offices in Rotterdam, New York, Hong Kong, Doha, and Australia. OMA-designed buildings currently under construction are the renovation of Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) in Berlin, The Factory in Manchester, Hangzhou Prism, the CMG Times Center in Shenzhen and the Simone Veil Bridge in Bordeaux.
OMA’s completed projects include Taipei Performing Arts Centre (2022), Audrey Irmas Pavilion in Los Angeles (2020), Norra Tornen in Stockholm (2020), Axel Springer Campus in Berlin (2020), MEETT Toulouse Exhibition and Convention Centre (2020), Galleria in Gwanggyo (2020), WA Museum Boola Bardip (2020), nhow RAI Hotel in Amsterdam (2020), a new building for Brighton College (2020), and Potato Head Studios in Bali (2020). Earlier buildings include Fondazione Prada in Milan (2018), Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow (2015), De Rotterdam (2013), CCTV Headquarters in Beijing (2012), Casa da Música in Porto (2005), and the Seattle Central Library (2004).
AMO often works in parallel with OMA's clients to fertilize architecture with intelligence from this array of disciplines. This is the case with Prada: AMO's research into identity, in-store technology, and new possibilities of content-production in fashion helped generate OMA's architectural designs for new Prada epicenter stores in New York and Los Angeles. In 2004, AMO was commissioned by the European Union to study its visual communication, and designed a colored "barcode" flag, combining the flags of all member states, which was used during the Austrian presidency of the EU. AMO has worked with Universal Studios, Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, Heineken, Ikea, Condé Nast, Harvard University and the Hermitage. It has produced Countryside: The Future, a research exhibited at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York; exhibitions at the Venice Architecture Biennale, including Public Works (2012), Cronocaos (2010), and The Gulf (2006); and for Fondazione Prada, including When Attitudes Become Form (2012) and Serial and Portable Classics (2015). AMO, with Harvard University, was responsible for the research and curation of the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale and its publication Elements. Other notable projects are Roadmap 2050, a plan for a Europe-wide renewable energy grid; Project Japan, a 720-page book on the Metabolism architecture movement (Taschen, 2010); and the educational program of Strelka Institute in Moscow.
Think tank of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). AMO
AMO is the think tank of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), co-founded by Rem Koolhaas in 1999. Applying architectural thinking to domains beyond building, AMO has worked with Prada, the European Union, Universal Studios, Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, Condé Nast, Harvard University, and the Hermitage. It has produced exhibitions, including Expansion and Neglect (2005) and When Attitudes Become Form: Bern 1969/Venice 2013 (2013) at the Venice Biennale; The Gulf (2006), Cronocaos (2010), Public Works (2012), and Elements of Architecture (2014) at the Venice Architecture Biennale; and Serial Classics and Portable Classics (both 2015) at Fondazione Prada, Milan and Venice, respectively.
AMO often works in parallel with OMA's clients to fertilize architecture with intelligence from this array of disciplines. This is the case with Prada: AMO's research into identity, in-store technology, and new possibilities of content-production in fashion helped generate OMA's architectural designs for new Prada epicenter stores in New York and Los Angeles. In 2004, AMO was commissioned by the European Union to study its visual communication, and designed a coloured "barcode" flag – combining the flags of all member states – that was used during the Austrian presidency of the EU.
AMO has worked with Universal Studios, Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, Heineken, Ikea, Condé Nast, Harvard University and the Hermitage. It has produced exhibitions at the Venice Architecture Biennale, including The Gulf (2006), Cronocaos (2010) and Public Works (2012) and for Fondazione Prada including When Attitudes Become Form (2012) and Serial and Portable Classics (2015). AMO, with Harvard University, was responsible for the research and curation of the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale and its principle publication Elements. Other notable projects are a plan for a Europe-wide renewable energy grid; Project Japan, a 720-page book on the Metabolism architecture movement (Taschen, 2010); and the educational program of Strelka Institute in Moscow.
AMO often works in parallel with OMA's clients to fertilize architecture with intelligence from this array of disciplines. This is the case with Prada: AMO's research into identity, in-store technology, and new possibilities of content-production in fashion helped generate OMA's architectural designs for new Prada epicenter stores in New York and Los Angeles. In 2004, AMO was commissioned by the European Union to study its visual communication, and designed a coloured "barcode" flag – combining the flags of all member states – that was used during the Austrian presidency of the EU.
AMO has worked with Universal Studios, Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, Heineken, Ikea, Condé Nast, Harvard University and the Hermitage. It has produced exhibitions at the Venice Architecture Biennale, including The Gulf (2006), Cronocaos (2010) and Public Works (2012) and for Fondazione Prada including When Attitudes Become Form (2012) and Serial and Portable Classics (2015). AMO, with Harvard University, was responsible for the research and curation of the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale and its principle publication Elements. Other notable projects are a plan for a Europe-wide renewable energy grid; Project Japan, a 720-page book on the Metabolism architecture movement (Taschen, 2010); and the educational program of Strelka Institute in Moscow.
Ellen van Loon
Ellen van Loonjoined OMA in 1998 and became Partner in 2002. She has led award-winning building projects that combine sophisticated design with precise execution. Recently completed projects led by Ellen include the shop-in-shops for Jacquemus at Galeries Lafayette and Selfridges (2022), the temporary showroom in Doha and store on Avenue de Montaigne in Paris for Tiffany & Co. (2022-23), Monumental Wonders exhibition for SolidNature in Milan (2022). Bvlgari Fine Jewelry Show (2021), Brighton College (2020), BLOX / DAC in Copenhagen (2018), Rijnstraat 8 in The Hague (2017), and Lab City CentraleSupélec (2017). Other projects in her portfolio include Fondation Galeries Lafayette (2018) in Paris; Qatar National Library (2017); Amsterdam’s G-Star Raw Headquarters (2014); De Rotterdam, the largest building in the Netherlands (2013); CCTV Headquarters in Beijing (2012); New Court Rothschild Bank in London (2011); Maggie’s Centre in Glasgow (2011); Casa da Musica in Porto (2005) – winner of the 2007 RIBA Award; and the Dutch Embassy in Berlin (2003) – winner of the European Union Mies van der Rohe Award in 2005. Ellen is currently working on The Factory Manchester – a large performing arts venue for the city; the renovation of Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) Berlin – Europe’s biggest department store – and the design of Lamarr, a new department store in Vienna; and the Palais de Justice de Lille.
Samir Bantal
Samir Bantal is the director of AMO, the think- tank founded by Rem Koolhaas in 1998, which enables OMA to apply its architectural thinking beyond architecture, to the fields of design, technology, media and art.
Samir Bantal rejoined OMA in 2015 after working at the office between 2003 and 2007 on a number of projects ranging from product design, research, architecture and master planning. Samir was involved in the Image of Europe, an exhibition on the history and meaning of the European Union, rebranding the European flag. He worked on a new proposal for the Shanghai Expo of 2010, a master plan for Riga Port City and several exhibitions for the Venice Biennale. He was project architect of the Ras Al Khaimah master plan (2006) and Jebel Al Jais Resort (2006). Samir also contributed to a number of publications by AMO, such as Project Japan (2011) and Al Manakh I (2007).
Before joining OMA, Samir worked for Toyo Ito, and was associate professor at Delft Univeristy of Technology in the fields of architecture and urbanism. Between 2008-2012 he was editor of the Annual Architecture Yearbook of the Netherlands.
Currently, Samir is responsible for the new retail concept for the luxury car brand Genesis in Seoul, Korea. Also with AMO, Samir is currently working on 3 exhibitions. In Qatar, AMO explores the role of modern architecture in the development of the city of Doha, opening March 2019. Together with the Harvard School of Design, Samir leads Countryside, a comprehensive research project that investigates the interaction between the city and the countryside, which will culminate in an exhibition in the Guggenheim in New York early 2020. Lastly, ‘Figures of Speech’ will show at the MCA Chicago in June 2019. The design of the exhibition, a retrospective on the work of renown designer Virgil Abloh, is a collaboration between Samir and Virgil Abloh.
Giulio Margheri
Giulio joined OMA in 2015, working across architecture, scenography, curation, research and product design. Projects Giulio has worked on include the transformation of the historic building Fondaco dei Tedeschi in Venice, and proposals for the renewal of the Galeries Lafayette in Paris, the New Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, and a new Ministry of Sound in London. In an ongoing collaboration with Prada and Miu Miu, Giulio has designed the sets of Prada and Miu Miu runway shows and developed the brands’ online presence and retail set-up. He recently led the design of retail and scenography projects for Jacquemus, Tiffany & Co., BVLGARI and the Dutch natural stone brand Solid Nature. Giulio has also worked on the set design and curation of institutional exhibitions including Recycling Beauty at Fondazione Prada in Milan (2022); Manifesta12 in Palermo (2018), and PANDA at the Oslo Architecture Triennale (2016). Prior to joining OMA, Giulio worked for Ipostudio in Florence, OFIS in Ljubljana and TD architects in Amsterdam. From 2012 to 2014, he conducted urban research at the I2A - Institute of Architecture in Switzerland, and at Strelka Institute for Architecture Media and Design in Moscow.
Virgil Abloh
Virgil Abloh. (b. September 30, 1980 / November 28, 2021) The Illinois-born designer, 38, has been creating fashion, objects, furniture, graphic works, painting, sculpture and photography for the last 20 years. He is the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's men's wear collection since March 2018. Apart from his work at Louis Vuitton, Abloh serves as the chief executive officer of the Milan-based label Off-White, a fashion house he founded in 2013. He has designed pieces for other renowned brands such as Pioneer, IKEA and Nike.
Abloh became a household name after working on creative direction for Kanye West’s DONDA firm, where he collaborated with the musician on album covers, concert designs and merchandising. Abloh’s attraction to music has led him to professionally DJ at prestigious venues and festivals around the world, such as Lollapalooza and Coachella.
Abloh became a household name after working on creative direction for Kanye West’s DONDA firm, where he collaborated with the musician on album covers, concert designs and merchandising. Abloh’s attraction to music has led him to professionally DJ at prestigious venues and festivals around the world, such as Lollapalooza and Coachella.
Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018. Abloh was featured in conversation with his friend and frequent collaborator Takashi Murakami on the cover of the fall 2018 issue of Cultured magazine.
Virgil Abloh passed away at the age of 41 after a two-year battle with cancer.
Virgil Abloh passed away at the age of 41 after a two-year battle with cancer.
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