The new headquarters building for the fashion brand ESCADA will receive each season hundreds of visitors from all over the world over to unveil their latest collection. ESCADA commissioned the Parisian studio CARBONDALE to design the architectural “public face” including the entry façade, entry court, interior courtyard, lobby and furniture totaling 2,000 sqm.
….At the entry court these stripes are composed of two textures of concrete for the walkway and 4 species of flowering plants. Each plant species takes turns blossoming in correspondence with each of the 4 climatic & fashion seasons. The 4 different flowering colors, red, white, pink and violet are the first device to transform the visitor’s experience. At the interior courtyard the stripe composition alternates between bands of grass and concrete paving. The combination of mineral and vegetal materials practically allows for punctual usage without damage, yet visually when perceived perpendicularly from the lobby the courtyard appears completely green.