MVRDV wraps Tiffany & Co. Beijing flagship in flowing glass fins

In the heart of Taikoo Li Sanlitun, Beijing’s most visible luxury crossroads, a new Tiffany & Co. flagship store announces itself not through spectacle, but through atmosphere. Designed by MVRDV, the four storey building is wrapped in a veil of translucent glass fins whose soft curves lend the façade an almost weightless presence. The effect is deliberately ethereal, positioning the store as both object and light source within the dense commercial fabric of the city.

Rising vertically across the full height of the building, the fins respond to the scale and movement of the surrounding streets. Their layered arrangement creates depth and variation, allowing the façade to shift as pedestrians move around it. From oblique angles, light is amplified through repetition and refraction. From close range, narrow openings between the fins reveal fleeting glimpses of the jewellery inside, turning the act of passing by into a sequence of subtle visual encounters.

The flowing geometry of the façade draws direct inspiration from the sculptural language of Elsa Peretti, whose jewellery designs are defined by organic continuity and tactile elegance. In particular, the curves echo the Bone Cuff, translating its fluid silhouette into architectural scale. This approach continues a series of bespoke façades developed by MVRDV for Tiffany & Co., each exploring innovative materials and expressive three dimensional form as an extension of the brand’s identity.

The glass fins are responsibly recycled and locally manufactured, their gently textured surfaces enhancing the diffusion of light. According to MVRDV founding partner Jacob van Rijs, the density of the fins intensifies the interaction between light and form, producing an effect that constantly evolves with changing viewpoints and daylight conditions. Architecture here behaves less as enclosure and more as a medium, translating motion, reflection and translucency into spatial experience.

As daylight fades, the façade takes on a new character. The naturally blue toned glass is illuminated from within, glowing in Tiffany Blue and casting a soft, diffuse light into the surrounding streetscape. The lighting system is discreetly integrated into custom designed brackets that support the fins, ensuring that hardware remains visually recessive and the luminous quality of the glass remains dominant.

Beyond its visual impact, the façade also reflects a commitment to responsible construction. Designed to be fully demountable, the glass fins and mounting system can be removed without damage, allowing for reuse or recycling at the end of their lifespan. In this Beijing flagship, Tiffany & Co. and MVRDV present a façade that balances brand expression, material innovation and environmental foresight, offering a quietly powerful model for luxury architecture in contemporary urban contexts.

Project Credit

Project name: Tiffany Façade Beijing
Location: Beijing, China
Year: 2023–2025
Size and Programme: 1000m2, 20m height – Retail façade
Architect: MVRDV / @mvrdv
Photography: Tiffany & Co

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