Crystal Houses reopens in Amsterdam

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.

GALLERY  

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






Get our enews

Design and development news that comes to you

Subscribe
                 


Living Beauty Reimagines the Apothecary

In Toronto’s Christie Pits neighbourhood, Living Beauty has unveiled a flagship retail and spa destination that boldly reinvents ...

Frasers Suites Perth sold for $105m with plans for mixed-use conversion

The Western Australian Government has acquired Frasers Suites Perth for $105 million, with the property set to be ...

One Park Lane poised to become Australia’s tallest tower

Architecture studios BKK Architects and Cottee Parker have unveiled proposals for One Park Lane, a supertall skyscraper development ...

La Chinesca BGC: A Multicultural Take on Mexican Dining

Ini Manila, La Chinesca’s newest outpost reimagines what contemporary Mexican dining can look and feel like. Designed by JJ ...

Harbour unveils its 2025 outdoor collections ahead of summer

Harbour, Australia’s leading luxury outdoor furniture brand, has launched its highly anticipated 2025 collections, each epitomising the brand's ...

  MORE  

Stay connected to the SPEC

Join our reader network by signing up to our weekly newsletter and receive design and development news straight to your inbox





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.

© 2022 Universal Media Co. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Service. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Universal Media Co.