BarbaritoBancel Architects

Dior Miami Facade

BarbaritoBancel Architects
28. November 2016

PROJECT DETAILS

Design

BarbaritoBancel architects

Client
Christian Dior Couture

Location
Miami Design District, Florida

Years
2014-2016

Building area
700 m²

Facade surface area
1,000 m²

Lighting Design
Metis Lighting

Local team
Bromley Cook Eng. & Store Q

General Contractor
Twenty – two group

Material specification
UHPC – Ultra High Performance Concrete with marble powder and a TX active surface by Styl Comp

Photo: Alessandra Chemollo (All photographs courtesy of v2com)

It is in this stimulating context that Dior summoned BarbaritoBancel architects, to design its new corner building with the desire to transpose the atmosphere of the historic Parisian address of the 30 Av Montaigne to the heart of Miami.

Selfie on the paseo (Photo: Alessandra Chemollo)

The principal stake of the project: design a building to Dior’s image
The first step of the architects was to define and to gather the values that constitute Dior’s identity: Elegance, tradition, creativity, nobility, innovation, know-how, wonder. From these values, common to haute couture and architecture, emerges a duality on which BarbaritoBancel architects worked. The haute couture is linked to fashion, to the ephemeral and needs to renew itself continuously. Architecture transcends trends, and its image needs to outlive time that goes by and continue to represent Dior’s spirit in a sustainable manner.

Soft morning sun on the north facade (Photo: Alessandra Chemollo)

The Facade
Pondering on these values along with the continuous exchange with Dior’s president, Sidney Toledano and his team, led to a refined design of sculpted volumes evoking a voluptuous fabric.
 
The facade imposes itself by its elegant design, large curves in white concrete create clear pleated forms between which the boutique’s spaces slide in. The nobility of the smooth and sleek surfaces is given by a contemporary material made of extremely dense concrete with marble powder.
 
The facade plays with the sun in an alternation of light and shadow along the day. The curves overlap up to drawing, at the top, a tight arc, in a thrust towards the sky.

Inspiration sketch based on Dior dresses (Drawing: Ivana Barbarito)
Bright Miami sun on the west facade (Photo: Alessandra Chemollo)

The Interior Spaces
The interior spaces participate in the movement of the facade. The showcases appear between the pleats and the planes retreat and open more firmly to shelter the passer-by and invite him to enter. Rich interior spaces succeed each other, lit by a grazing natural light created by the more generous movements of the volumes of the facade. At the last floor, the curves space out more to give access to a terrace garden, facing south.
 
Hence, architecture and haute couture unite in the common desire to seduce, and perpetuate the spirit and history of the Dior house and the image of a sunny, dynamic, young city, heart of contemporary design.

Dior terrace and south facade (Photo: Alessandra Chemollo)
The building elevates the Dior star in the clear Miami sky (Photo: Alessandra Chemollo)
Bright show windows emerge from the building (Photo: Alessandra Chemollo)

The new Dior Flagship designed by the French-Italian firm BarbaritoBancel architects in the Design District of Miami is honoured by the American Architecture Prize 2016, an international award, which every year, rewards the best performances worldwide.

Floor plans (Drawing: BarbaritoBancel architects)
Main facade elevations (Drawing: BarbaritoBancel architects)
Facade section and detail (Drawing: BarbaritoBancel architects)

PROJECT DETAILS

Design

BarbaritoBancel architects

Client
Christian Dior Couture

Location
Miami Design District, Florida

Years
2014-2016

Building area
700 m²

Facade surface area
1,000 m²

Lighting Design
Metis Lighting

Local team
Bromley Cook Eng. & Store Q

General Contractor
Twenty – two group

Material specification
UHPC – Ultra High Performance Concrete with marble powder and a TX active surface by Styl Comp

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