London-based design consultancy CAPELO and New York-based MNA have collaborated to design a second New York flagship store for luxury retailer, Watches of Switzerland, at The Shops at Hudson Yards, the City’s new West Side neighbourhood.
Established in 1924, The Watches of Switzerland Group is the largest luxury watch and jewellery retailer in the UK. The Hudson Yards store, which opened in March 2019, follows the November 2018 opening of Watches of Switzerland’s SoHo flagship, and continues the expansion of the brand’s new USA portfolio.
Comprising more than 18 million square feet of mixed-use development, Hudson Yards is the largest privately funded real estate development in US history and the largest in NYC since the Rockefeller Centre. The Shops at Hudson Yards includes seven levels of retail, featuring more than 100 stores and restaurants and a central Neiman Marcus department store, the first in New York City.
Watches of Switzerland occupies a prime 6,500 square foot retail unit at the base of the central ‘Great Room’ atrium. With a 110 foot 4-bay frontage to the public plaza and 160 feet of internal mall storefronts, the space offers almost 360 degrees of storefront and display window exposure.
The brief given to the design team was to create a luxurious, contemporary feel within an interactive and inviting social space. Central to the brief was the desire to maximise the impact of the storefront while maintaining a visual connection to the adjacent mall and external architectural landscape.
An illuminated white onyx panelled storefront curves in from the mall, with a digital wall enticing customers into the store. A boutique for Watches of Switzerland’s brand partner, Patek Philippe is entered directly from the bronze-clad entrance foyer, while a Rolex boutique anchors the opposite side of the retail unit.
Within the central retail space, a neutral palette with soft tones allows perimeter brand installations for Breitling, Hublot, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-leCoultre, Omega and Vacheron Constantin to have maximum visual impact. A central multi-branded area houses Bremont, Grand Seiko, Longines and Tudor.
With a contrasting rich palette of illuminated onyx, marble and bronze, the Watches of Switzerland cocktail bar provides a focal point to the Great Room. Here customers can enjoy complimentary refreshments, while taking in views of British designer Thomas Heatherwick’s towering, interactive ‘Vessel’ staircase sculpture in the adjacent Plaza, and of the Hudson River beyond.
Commenting on the store’s successful design, Marius Coetzee, CAPELO, said: ‘CAPELO is delighted to have once again collaborated with MNA and Watches of Switzerland on their second New York store. The design team has created a luxury store environment which reflects the grandeur and vitality of the Hudson Yards development and celebrates Watches of Switzerland’s new US chapter.’
Client – Watches of Switzerland
Architectural and interior design consultancy – CAPELO & MNA
Lead consultant/project manager – Watershed Partners, Inc.
Services Consultant – Rosini Engineering
Main contractor – Shawmut Design & Construction
Millwork contractor – Norclair
Photo credit – Peter Murdock
