New facade for Bulgari’s flagship store, featuring five double-height windows and an elaborate bronze lattice, which was inspired by the clasp from a bracelet made in the 1930s.
Bulgari’s flagship store in the iconic Crown Building on Fifth Avenue, New York, has undergone a refurbishment. Eckersley O’Callaghan engineered the new facade, which consists of a rosette-studded mesh with five 30-foot-tall windows inserted into the existing building. The double height windows cover the Bulgari store at the ground level and a tenant space above. The intricate solid bronze lattice is inspired by the design of a clasp from a Bulgari bracelet made in the 1930s.
The display windows stand at 4ft x 8ft, and the diamond glass panels are mounted onto a bronze-clad welded steel frame which in turn supports the outer bronze lattice of milled baguettes and cast florets. The facade is illuminated by custom light fixtures located behind each floret.
Glass replacement and differential thermal expansion between the lattice and glazing required careful consideration. The lattice was subdivided into smaller diamonds of the same size as the glass panels behind. This allowed for smaller thermal movements accommodated within each diamond. The diamonds can be individually removed should a glass panel need to be replaced.
