Retail
The Emporio Armani flagship store at 1 Grant Avenue occupies the former Savings Union Bank, a landmark building designed by architects Walter Danforth Bliss and William Baker Faville. Renovated for the new flagship in 2010, the interior pairs the building’s monumental historic character with the streamlined aesthetic of the Emporio Armani brand.
The height and architectural significance of the original banking hall called for a lighting solution that could support the scale and precision of a contemporary retail environment without competing with the historic interior. A custom system of concentric steel arcs was suspended below the high ceiling, bringing the lighting closer to the merchandise while preserving views of the architecture above.
Adjustable accent lights integrated into the steel arcs provide focused illumination for merchandise and displays. The suspended system was reinforced with earthquake cabling, addressing the seismic requirements of its San Francisco location while maintaining the clarity of the design.
The suspended lighting creates a distinct contemporary layer within the landmark interior, complementing streamlined retail fixtures and video displays against the ornate historic backdrop. The result allows the original architecture and the Emporio Armani retail environment to remain visually distinct while working together within the same space.
Custom concentric steel arcs suspend the retail lighting closer to merchandise while preserving the scale and character of the landmark banking hall. Integrated adjustable accent lights provide focused illumination for displays, creating a contemporary lighting layer that complements rather than competes with the historic architecture.
The 14,000-square-foot Bowery Bay Shops bring a collection of retail brands together within LaGuardia Airport’s new Main Terminal. Curved circulation paths move travelers through an open marketplace where ceiling heights transition dramatically from approximately 35 feet to 11 feet.
The lighting design responds to these changing conditions while maintaining a cohesive visual environment throughout the shops. In the high-ceiling areas, the challenge was to provide effective ambient and accent illumination without attaching lighting equipment to the architectural envelope above.
Custom column light with adjustable heads to light merchandise.
Rather than relying on the distant terminal ceiling, tall illuminated towers positioned along the circulation paths establish a human-scaled lighting infrastructure within the open marketplace. Adjustable accent lights at the tops of the towers provide focused illumination for merchandise and displays, while the vertical structures also create opportunities for signage and brand identity.
In lower-ceiling areas, curved linear lighting follows the fluid geometry of the retail environment, creating a distinct architectural expression. Together with the custom lighting towers used beneath the high terminal ceiling, the lighting maintains a cohesive experience across dramatically different ceiling conditions.
Custom lighting towers bring ambient and accent illumination down from the terminal’s soaring ceiling to the retail environment below. Integrated into the circulation paths, the towers support merchandise displays and branding, while linear and recessed lighting follow the curved architecture through lower-ceiling areas to create a cohesive shopping experience.
