Located in Sydney’s bustling Central Business District, Tiffany & Co.’s flagship store called for a facade that would double as art and project the brand’s identity as a leader in craftsmanship and cutting-edge design. The resulting storefront is a carved stone and glass facade that repeats the company’s iconic “wheatleaf” motif. A glass canopy, three-meters deep and cantilevered off the facade, gives the building a striking, softly illuminated skirt. 

 

Because this was an ambitious reclad of an existing building, Heintges worked with CallisonRTKL (Arcadis) to devise a steel truss to support the new facade. The stone panels clip into a steel framing system attached to this structure. After a process of selecting the structurally sound stone, the panels were CNC-milled in three-dimensional relief to create an abstracted leaf shape. These panels were hung and mirrored across a vertical lighting element embedded in the steel frame; as the panels tesselate, they overlap, creating the overall “wheatleaf.” LED lighting is incorporated into the back of each stone panel, enhancing the sculptural qualities of the facade. The building also includes “jewel box” display windows of double-height three-ply laminated security glass. 

 

Heintges provided building envelope  consulting services during all phases of design and construction.