The building immediately stands out for its undulating facade, composed of translucent glass fins that envelop the volume with a light, ethereal presence. The Dutch studio MVRDV’s scheme draws inspiration from the fluid, sculptural forms of jewelry pieces designed by Elsa Peretti, particularly the iconic Bone Cuff, transferring that organic language to the architectural scale.

Rising 20 meters and four floors, the facade cuts a figure as a smooth skin at a strategic crossroads. Each sheet of glass has a gentle curvature and a subtle texture, creating a layered surface that changes with the viewer’s angle of vision. The glass softens the views into the interior without lessening the sense of permeability, allowing glimpses of the jewelry as one walks around the building.

During the day, the overlapping slats amplify the effects of natural light, producing reflections and transparencies. At night, the glass is illuminated with the characteristic Tiffany Blue® tone, projecting a diffused light that reinforces the brand’s identity. The lighting and fixing systems have been carefully integrated into supports, minimizing the sight of hardware and thus maintaining visual continuity.

The Beijing store is the fifth in a series of facade designs created by MVRDV for Tiffany, thought up as a demountable system and therefore allowing components to be removed and reused or recycled at the end of their useful life.

Ziyi Zhang, Tiffany Tang, Ruoyun Zhang, Elaine Zhong, Yuqi Song, Yunrui Li and Xingyue Wang gather to celebrate the opening of the new Taikoo-li Sanlitun store in Beijing.