OMA tops historic Tiffany & Co store on Fifth Avenue with a “jewel box”

OMA has completed the renovation of the Tiffany & Co flagship store in Manhattan, the historic ten-storey limestone building at 727 Fifth Avenue, New York, used by Tiffany & Co since 1940 as a department store.

OMA has expanded it by adding on the roof a glass structure of three floors – consisting of two overlapping volumes – to accommodate a gallery and spaces for events. The lower volume is divided into two levels and is slightly retrocessed to create a small terrace; the upper volume, instead, the “jewelry box”, protrudes on three sides with a cantilever on the lower volume and is cladded in panes of undulating glass.

According to Shohei Shigematsu, OMA partner, the addition aim to respect the legacy of Tiffany & Co’s legacy while softening the effect of the surrounding skyscrapers. “The result is a translucent vitrine to signal new flagship activities – a contemporary bookend to the historic building and symbolic launch of a renewed brand”.

The pre-existing interiors have been restored by the American architect Peter Marino and the elevator cores have been moved on the external walls in order to create a freer plan, then enriched with metal details, carpets and particular wall treatments. An elevator lobby was also added to facilitate access for visitors to the upper levels.