Translucent glass fins adorn Tiffany & Co.’s new Beijing flagship store

Tiffany & Co.’s newly opened flagship store in Beijing sports an MVRDV-designed façade of curving, translucent glass fins. The textured glass fins rise vertically along the building’s full four-story height.

At night, the glass, which has been selected for its blue tone, is lit in iconic Tiffany Blue. The lighting modules have been built inside the specially designed brackets that hold the glass fins, reducing any hardware that might distract from the lighting effects.

The design’s flowing shapes drew inspiration from Bone Cuff—metal, wrist-shaped bracelets by the late jewelry designer Elsa Peretti. The façade’s fluid form gives the building “an ethereal presence,” according to MVRDV.

“When viewed from an angle, the layering effect of the dense glass fins amplifies the effects of the light, highlighting the façade’s shape,” MVRDV founding partner Jacob van Rijs said in a statement. “The light filtering through and reflecting off of the translucent glass creates a delicate interplay that is constantly changing as you move. And as you pass close to the building, you see glimpses in between the fins to the jewelry inside.”

The façade has been designed to be demountable, so the glass fins and mounting brackets can be removed and then reused or recycled at the end of their lifespan. According to MVRDV, the gently curved fins have been responsibly recycled and locally manufactured.

Located in Beijing’s Taikoo-Li Sanlitun commercial neighborhood, the Beijing store marks the fifth façade design created by MVRDV for Tiffany. The series features innovative materials and three-dimensional forms.

Project partners include co-architect At Zero Design Limited, lighting designer Cooley Monato Studio, and contractor Permasteelisa Gartner Hong Kong Limited.