Archetech Issue 49 2020 | Page 43

“ Our goal was to deliver a creative and stylish stage that provides a true sense of pleasure and responds to Harrods’ customer needs. VIRGILE + PARTNERS The space encourages customers to move from room to room, offering everything from exquisite bedding and textiles through to an elegant and rather luxurious Cookshop offer. The space features elegant finishes such as subtly toned marble flooring and herringbone, chevron and basket weave patterns that are key character features, linking all the rooms and introducing variety along the customer journey from one room to the next. Formed by 25 interconnecting open-plan rooms, the diversity of the retail environments are designed to inspire curiosity and invite the customer to explore, discover, and shop. The store perimeter windows have also been exposed to maximise natural light and create a relaxed, homely atmosphere. The redevelopment incorporates Harrods’ signature style of enabling ‘moments of contemplation’ and showcasing products and brands, to bring the Home offer to life. Virgile + Partners’ Home concept intends to complement the building’s original design and revitalise Harrods’ architectural heritage. To reinforce the sense of luxury, cast plaster cornices and mouldings have been carefully reinstated and historical decorative detailing has been introduced. Structural columns have been remodelled using a variety of bespoke decorative panels to add texture and personality to individual rooms. Ceilings in all rooms reinstate the listed cornicing details, yet integrating new floating surfaces providing a soft but effective lighting scheme. Marble framing, decorative wall panels and soft lighting gives consistency to the rooms portals, emphasising the transition points through to the adjacent rooms and punctuating the walkways. The open-plan Harrods Interior Design space is a flexible area that supports discovery and inspiration and its central studio allows clients to engage with the experts in comfortable, creative surroundings. Curated by Harrods’ buyers, Harrods Interiors features an immersive showcase of interior profiles, innovative trends, and exclusive products from the world’s finest interior and design brands. Later this year a new elegant room housing a collection of luxury home fragrance brands will be a new attraction within the new third floor, to be followed by an art gallery, a number of luxury Classic Furniture rooms and a new Lighting department opening later next year. PAGE 43 - ARCHETECH