The Milan office of David Chipperfield Architects has designed a store for the fashion label AKRIS in Washington D.C., which uses three-dimensional architecture in conjunction with a special lighting system to highlight the brand’s handmade clothing.
The Milan office of David Chipperfield Architects has designed a store for the fashion label AKRIS in Washington D.C., which uses three-dimensional architecture in conjunction with a special lighting system to highlight the brand’s handmade clothing.
In 1922, Alice Kriemler-Schoch founded a fashion house in St. Gallen, Switzerland. AKRIS, an acronym of the founder’s name, is an international company that has since been passed down within the family and is now in the hands of Alice Kriemler-Schoch’s grandchildren: Albert and Peter Kriemler. The collaboration between DCA Milan and the Kriemler brothers began in 2018 with the aim of developing a new store concept. The approximately 140 square meter AKRIS prototype store opened in Washington D.C. on 30.04.2022.
The concept developed by David Chipperfield Architects for the boutique in Washington D.C. is based on the materiality and fine craftsmanship for which AKRIS is known. A solid, three-dimensional architecture and a special presentation system together define a space that becomes a stage for the products. A special light display system plays a central role here. The walls and ceilings of the boutique’s 142 square meter salesroom in Washington are clad in white-painted maple wood paneling to create a three-dimensional but neutral backdrop. The use of gray limestone for flooring and columns completes the understated character of the architecture.
For the presentation of AKRIS products, David Chipperfield Architects developed a system of tensioned cables that hold shelves and clothes hangers. This allowed the display system to be reduced to the essentials. In this way, the serving elements recede visually to such an extent that the illusion is created that the products on display are floating. The design concept of DCA Milan refers to the tension-filled spatial structures of Bruno Munaris, whose fundamental nature lies in the contrast between two opposing forces: Pull and Push.
Stainless steel mesh partitions suspended from the ceiling act as a filter, enhancing the sense of depth and dividing the AKRIS boutique without obstructing the view through the space. The combination of the partitions with the natural anodized aluminium counters creates a flowing movement through the showroom and a sense of transparency. For the walls and ceiling of the changing rooms, David Chipperfield Architects chose AKRIS’ signature material – an ivory horsehair fabric and cool gray melange felt. The floor is covered with an ivory-colored wool carpet.
The design concept of the prototype for the new generation of AKRIS stores subtly refers again and again to the core of the brand. High-quality materials and precise joins create an impressive showroom that only unfolds its full effect through the products. The second prototype store has now been opened in Tokyo, Japan, also in collaboration with the Kriemler brothers.
Founded in 1985, David Chipperfield Architects enjoys an international reputation for its expertise in the design process and the enduring quality of its projects. The architecture and design practice’s diverse portfolio includes renowned cultural, residential, educational, retail, workplace and civic projects. Concern for the social and environmental sustainability of the built environment and the role of architecture in the collective quality of life are central elements of DCA’s work.
David Chipperfield Architects consists of five independent offices in London, Berlin, Milan, Shanghai and Santiago de Compostela, each embedded in its local context and at the same time united globally by common architectural ambitions. This family of studios is complemented by DC Design and Fundación RIA – a non-profit research initiative based in Galicia – which broaden the scope of architectural practice from product design details to territorial masterplanning strategies. The firm’s most notable completed works include the reconstruction of the Neues Museum in Berlin, the Amorepacific headquarters in Seoul and the Bryant in New York. The office has received over 100 awards for outstanding design.
By the way: the 2023 Pritzker Prize went to David Chipperfield. Read more about it here.
