An ethereal façade in Beijing turns light movement and jewelry scale into architecture.
A Landmark in Motion
Located in Beijing’s Taikoo Li Sanlitun luxury retail district, Tiffany and Co’s new flagship is defined by a rippling architectural veil designed by Dutch studio MVRDV. Rising across the building’s four storey, twenty meter height, the façade is composed of vertically oriented translucent glass fins that curve and undulate as they wrap the structure. The effect is intentionally fluid, shifting throughout the day as natural light and perspective change.
Jewelry as Architecture
The façade draws direct inspiration from the work of legendary Tiffany designer Elsa Peretti, particularly the organic geometry of her Bone Cuff. Rather than literal translation, MVRDV abstracted Peretti’s sculptural language into architectural scale, creating a three dimensional skin that feels soft, continuous, and almost weightless. The glass itself carries a natural icy blue tone that subtly references Tiffany’s signature color without relying on surface branding.
Light Circularity and Nighttime Transformation
Light plays a central role in the project. As daylight passes through the layered fins, the façade produces a dynamic interplay of shadow and transparency. After dark, integrated lighting modules transform the building into a glowing Tiffany Blue lantern, with all technical elements concealed to preserve the purity of the form. Designed with circularity in mind, the entire system is fully demountable, allowing the glass fins and mounting brackets to be removed intact for reuse or recycling. The result is a flagship that merges visual spectacle, brand heritage, and forward thinking sustainability into a single architectural statement.
