MVRDV - Research (Updated)

 MVRDV

In this post I will be researching the Dutch company - MVRDV. This company was founded in 1993,  and the main aim of the company in creating sustainable spaces. In this post i will research more some pieces of work which I can relate to my project.

The company created facades for luxury brands such as Bvlgari. One of the designs of facade was created in Shanghai for Bvlgari. The project is completed in green colours which send as away to the main colour of the brand. But also, instead of using Bulgari’s signature motifs to create windows, the Shanghai store features a predominantly windowless facade. Instead, it employs layered panels that form an Art Deco-inspired pattern. Art Deco, with its blend of Eastern and Western design elements, is a fitting choice, given Shanghai’s historical significance as a key port connecting East and West. 

MVRDV in this project refused to use standard solution for the boutique facade due to not using signature motifs but using the green colour as an identification of the brand. 

For me as for research the architectural piece, the main future of this project is materials which were used to made the facade. According to Jacob van Rijs, one of the founders of MVRDV  “Our collaboration with Bulgari has yielded some fascinating material experiments… It’s a passion we share with them, albeit in different design disciplines. The Shanghai store encapsulates the value of these experiments: given the right treatment and detailing, leftover champagne and beer bottles, which would otherwise be thrown away, become a jewel for the city.”

MVRDV - Shanghai boutique (2021)

For my further research I will find out more about using glass bottles as a building material, and if it’s possible I would want to use it for my project.

After making research about this material I find out that the material is not very common as a building material especially in Connecticut region, so I will try to find some alternative material instead of recycled bottle glass

Based on this, my store for Gen Z in Cromwell City will blend modernistic and futuristic styles with sustainable materials. Like the Shanghai store, I want to use unique materials and thoughtful design to create an engaging, eco-friendly space that resonates with Gen Z’s values and aesthetics. For my fashion and footwear store, I’m inspired by how MVRDV refused standard solutions for the boutique facade by using innovative materials and color for brand identification.

Reference list

Dezeen (2021). MVRDV creates jade-coloured Bulgari storefront from recycled champagne bottles. [online] Dezeen. Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2021/12/16/mvrdv-bulgari-storefront-facade-jade-recycled-champagne-bottles/ [Accessed 5 May 2024].

MVRDV (n.d.). MVRDV - Bulgari Shanghai. [online] www.mvrdv.com. Available at: https://www.mvrdv.com/projects/697/bulgari-shanghai [Accessed 5 May 2024].

Picture reference 

MRDV (2021) Bvlgari Shanghai Boutique. Available at: https://www.mvrdv.com/projects/697/bulgari-shanghai [Accessed 5 May 2024].