Designed in collaboration with creative directors Lucie and Luke Meier, the Jil Sander store in Hamburg, hometown of the brand, is conceived as a hybrid between a store and a museum. The design is anchored in two fundamental principles: firstly, to maintain transparency on both sides of the space, fostering a visual connection between the city’s bustling commercial artery and the serene canal; secondly, to harness the natural light to emphasize the quality of spaces, materials and products.
To this end, the large interior, with an impressive ceiling height of 4.50 meters, is crafted as a pure and neutral showcase. Here, sculptural elements in Vicenza stone serve dual purposes: on the one hand, they partition the space into distinct rooms, and on the other hand, they seamlessly integrate functional areas like cash registers and fitting rooms. These stone partitions play a pivotal role in defining a series of three minimalist spaces, each featuring a unique natural light ambiance: the store entrance and canal-facing rear, a central area, and a more private, lounge room lit by a zenithal skylight. On the store’s left flank, continuity is achieved through shelves that float inside a lengthy incision in the wall, enabling an uninterrupted display of products across the store’s 30-meter length.
The choice of Vicenza stone—a material both robust and delicate—was taken to evoke a sense of softness, blurring the boundaries between floor and wall, and then mimicking the texture of textiles in the seating arrangements. To break the store’s pristine environment, artisanal brass hangers with their unique, imperfect shapes celebrate craftsmanship. Meanwhile, display counters disrupt the spatial symmetry, marking a distinction between the men’s and women’s sections. The identity of these two sections is further established through material contrasts: a block of flamed Siena blue stone, boasting natural hues for the women’s area, and a dark green block inspired by Donald Judd’s artworks for the men’s section.
The inclusion of a modular vintage sofa by German designer Klaus Uredat, rounds off the furnishing, creating a timeless environment where architecture becomes the medium through which the brand’s collections are presented in a slower, mindful and engaging manner. Text description by the architects.
