An extraordinary level of flexibility was required for this home of Giorgio Armani’s American operations; the space needed to serve as showroom, party setting, fashion show venue, and meeting hall for corporate seminars. Most important, it was to reflect the sensibilities of the renowned fashion designer well known for a sleek, reductive, yet luxurious aesthetic.

A striking wood and glass sculptural stair connects the existing corporate offices to this new suite of penthouse showrooms. To take advantage of the dramatic skyline views, two major showrooms, for public relations and the corporate division respectively, were sited parallel to the primary expanses of windows.

The spaces themselves provide simple, versatile backdrops for the display of the various collections. The expansive commercial showroom accommodates the numerous programmatic requirements with complex control systems for dividing partitions, lighting, sound, window shades and projection, while the adjacent business center and professional kitchen provide the necessary support functions.

The public relations showroom offers an intimate enclave for entertaining editors, celebrities, and other important guests. It incorporates a unique display and storage system with capacity to house the many merchandise categories. Amenities include a private bathroom with shower, a large private dressing room, and archive room.

In conjunction with the copious amounts of natural light, the continuous luminescent ceiling casts a uniform light, dematerializing objects and rending them weightless. The minimal detailing, pale color palette, and refined materials, reinforce this ephemeral elegance, mirroring the client’s aesthetic vision.