The new Rolex boutique in Toronto has opened its doors, showcasing a dynamic, wavy façade courtesy of local architecture studio Partisans. The store design is as visually striking as it is architecturally ambitious, occupying the ground level of a modernist architecture high-rise on the city’s coveted shopping strip, Bloor Street.
Behind the wavy façade of the Rolex boutique in Toronto
Partisans, headed by Alex Josephson, is no stranger to experimental, eye-catching designs. The studio’s impressive Canvas House, also in Toronto, stands out in a similar way through its woven brick frontage. With this latest project for Rolex, the team used a CNC parametric composition that has been etched into the façade's limestone cladding (through an algorithmic design developed in collaboration with computational designer Arturo Tedeschi).
Making the most of cutting-edge, digital technologies, Partisans creates parallels through its design with its client's heritage in high-precision craft. The team write: 'Against the steel of the modernist high-rise, the digitally fabricated limestones – sculpted fluidly – offer a magnetic juxtaposition. Integrated down into the mullions of the storefront, the rhythm of the columns recalls the patterns of a watch’s band links.'
They continue: 'As the mullions trace down the exterior of the high-rise, they begin to slowly bend into subtle and graceful arcs that capture the essence between the existing structure and the distinctive Rolex geometries.'
Meanwhile, inside, clean, luxurious and minimalist surfaces serve as the perfect backdrop for the Rolex watches within the custom displays – at the same time, cleverly allowing for spaces that cater to a variety of different functions, spanning both public and private shopping experiences.
