WOS Greene Street
United States
New York, NY
8,300SF (771m2)
The design brief for N&R and London-based design consultancy CAPELO was to create a showroom synonymous with the luxury of premium watch brands, which would also reflect the character of the SoHo District and the fabric of the historic 1880s cast-iron building.
With a 30ft wide street frontage, and more than 8,300 square feet of retail space over two floors, the store has a stylish palette of materials including exposed brickwork and polished plaster walls, oak floors, decorative tin ceilings, blackened steel architectural details and stainless steel fixtures. This creates an elegant yet inviting backdrop for the products on display, while remaining sympathetic to the local character of SoHo.
Generous ceiling heights combine with original cast-iron columns, featuring decorative capitals, to create a spacious, elegant first-floor retail space. This accommodates three branded in-store boutiques for Rolex, Patek Philippe and Cartier. Blackened steel-frame glazed partitioning delineates the individual spaces, while maintaining visibility and cohesiveness across the floor. Shop-in-shop units for Omega, Breitling, IWC Schaffhausen, Hublot and Jaeger-LeCoultre are positioned around the perimeter, while other leading watch brands are located within the multi-branded area surrounding the central staircase opening.
Highlighted by a feature digital, library and accessories wall, the elegant blackened steel and oak staircase encourages the customer to venture down the stairs to the lower level.
Contrasting with the first-floor retail space, a cocktail bar provides the focal point to the lower level; its oak and marble counter, with brass and woven leather details, adding sophistication and complementing the high-end customer experience. Lee Broom pendant lamps and a decorative tin tile ceiling adds to the period feel. As well as providing refreshments for customers during store opening hours, this flexible space is able to host after-hours entertainment and events such as product launches.
Positioned around the perimeter, shop-in-shop units for Tag Heuer and Tudor add to the brand line-up, while a dedicated service and repairs consultation area provides direct access to Watches of Switzerland’s team of expert watchmakers. This is complemented by the adjacent watch strap and accessories counter.
