AKRIS Boutique Saint Gallen
AKRIS BOUTIQUE SAINT GALLEN
David Chipperfield Architects Milan
ARCHITECTS
David Chipperfield Architects
MILLWORK CONTRACTOR
Schreinerei Welz Ag
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Rand* Construction Corporation
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
Rand* Construction Corporation
SITE SUPERVISION
Rand* Construction Corporation
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Rathgeber, Goss Associates
HORSE HAIR PRODUCER
John Boyd Textiles
MEP
Interface Engineering
LIGHTING CONSULTANT
Mario Nanni
DIRECTOR
Giuseppe Zampieri
DIGITAL IMAGING
David Chipperfield Architects, Milan, Italy
PHYSICAL MODELS
David Chipperfield Architects, Milan, Italy
MANUFACTURERS
Viabizzuno, Tisca Tischahuser, Vitra
DESIGN ARCHITECT
David Chipperfield Architects, Milan, Italy
PROJECT ARCHITECTS
Juan Laborda Herrero (2019-2020), Luca Sirdone (2020-2022)
PRINCIPAL
David Chipperfield
ASSOCIATE
Federica Zerbo (2019-2020)
CASHMERE SUPPLIER
Loro Piana S.p.a
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Giuseppe Sirica
METAL DISPLAY FURNISHING SUPPLIER
obias Lenggenhager Ag Metallgestaltung & Schlosserei
MECHANICAL AND PLUMBING
Rand* Construction Corporation
DESIGN TEAM
Simone Diego Alessi, Niccolò Brussa, Filippo Carcano, Paolo Dell’elce, Tsukasa Goto, Francesco Schiraldi, Claudia Soricelli
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Physical Models
LOCAL ARCHITECT
Leo A. Daly
STONE SUPPLIER
Grassi Pietre Srl
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Rand* Construction Corporation
STONE INSTALLER
R Bratti Associates Inc
SITE SURVEY
Leo A. Daly
PHOTOGRAPHS
Alberto Parise
AREA
160 M²
YEAR
2022
LOCATION
Washington, United States
CATEGORY
Store, Retail Interiors
Following a collaboration that began in 2018 between DCA Milan and the Kriemler brothers for the development of a new Store Concept, the first AKRIS prototype store opened in Washington DC.
AKRIS is an international fashion house founded in Saint Gallen, Switzerland in 1922, its name is an acronym of Alice Kriemler– Schoch, the company’s founder.
Ownership has since passed down the family and is now in the hands of the founder’s grandchildren, Albert and Peter Kriemler.
DCA Milan’s design intent for the project was to enhance the materiality and fine craftsmanship of AKRIS collections through a solid, three-dimensional architecture associated with a light display system, defining a space where carefully chosen materials take center stage.
All the display elements are intentionally reduced to the minimum and are formed by a series of taut cables that support shelves and hangers with the aim of displaying the products as if they were magically suspended within an architectural box of limestone and wood.
The design references Bruno Munari’s tensile spatial structures, whose fundamental nature lies in contrasting two opposing forces: tension and compression.
Inside the store, pre-shaped wood paneling of white-painted maple clads the walls, hosting the display system and showcasing the collections against a neutral backdrop, all set alongside the flooring in grey limestone.
Suspended from the ceiling, stainless steel mesh partitions act as filters, subdividing the boutique and enhancing the sense of depth without obstructing the view.
Together with the counters in natural anodized aluminum, these partitions interrupt the flow within the boutique, creating a fluidity of movement and a sense of transparency.
In the fitting rooms, ivory-colored horsehair fabric – AKRIS’s signature material – and cool grey melange felt have been chosen for the walls and ceiling.
In contrast, an ivory-colored wool carpet covers the floor.
