Veiled in Glass: MVRDV Wraps Tiffany & Co. In a Shifting Sea of Translucent Fins

Summary

• MVRDV designed Tiffany & Co.’s Beijing flagship façade featuring a 20-meter, rippling veil of translucent glass fins
• The demountable, circular system transforms into a radiant “TiffanyBlue lantern” through integrated, invisible lighting modules at night

Located in Beijing’s Taikoo-Li Sanlitun luxury retail district, the new Tiffany & Co. flagship store features a striking façade of curving, translucent glass fins designed by Dutch architecture firm MVRDV. This marks the fifth collaboration in an ongoing series of bespoke storefront designs for the jeweler, which explores innovative materials and expressive three-dimensional forms.

The four‑storey building is wrapped in a veil of curving, translucent glass fins that rise vertically across its 20‑metre height. These fluid forms create an ethereal presence, shifting in appearance as light changes throughout the day. Inspired by the organic shapes of jewelry designer Elsa Peretti’s masterpieces, specifically the Bone Cuff, the façade introduces a new design motif within MVRDV’s ongoing collaboration with Tiffany, emphasizing expressive three‑dimensional form and innovative material use.

The façade’s icy blue hue, closely associated with Tiffany’s brand identity, enhances its landmark presence within the bustling shopping district. When viewed from different angles, the dense layering of glass fins amplifies the play of light and shadow, producing a dynamic effect that appears to move with the observer.

Light serves as a primary design tool, with the glass carefully selected for its natural blue tone. At night, the façade is transformed into a radiant “Tiffany Blue lantern,” illuminated by lighting modules that are discreetly integrated into custom-designed mounting brackets. This integration ensures that technical hardware remains invisible, keeping the focus on the diffuse glow of the glass. This system is also engineered for circularity, as the entire façade is fully demountable, allowing the fins and brackets to be removed without damage for future reuse or recycling.

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