Mike Welton writes about architecture, art and design for national and international publications. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Dwell, Metropolis, Architectural Record and The Huffington Post. Welton is also the architecture critic for the News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the editor of ARCHITECTSANDARTISANS.COM, where this post originally appeared. He is the author of Drawing from Practice: Architects and the Meaning of Freehand (Routledge, 2015).
To hear Hans Henkes talk, the newest collaboration between SieMatic and PIRCH in SoHo is a match made in heaven.
“We saw a brand alliance with them. They’re moving fast with great ideas, and they’re trying to create the Apple store of appliances and fixtures,” the president and CEO of SieMatic Möbelwerke USA says. “It’s a revolutionary approach to retail — a luxury experience to help clients enjoy life, cooking, living and family.”
SieMatic’s Urban Kitchen (also shown at top)
Located in a former ironworks building at the corner of Broome and Lafayette, PIRCH SoHo occupies 32,000 square feet across three floors. In more than 30 interactive displays, faucets flow, hearths flicker, cabinets open and close with a touch and appliances function, allowing visitors to test-drive products before they buy. Shoppers can take part in on-site cooking classes or even book a private steam shower in the experiential home spa.
SieMatic PIRCH SoHo Urban
“You almost a do a double take: ‘This is not what I expected from a fixtures showroom,’” he says. “There are working showers, and you can bring in your masseuse. It’s really a space to dream in, where you’re in discovery.”
SieMatic PIRCH SoHo Classic
SieMatic Classic; image source: Nicholas Anthony
SieMatic is the exclusive kitchen cabinet supplier for PIRCH SoHo, with its URBAN, CLASSIC and PURE collections prominently displayed throughout the showroom. The company worked with the agency Fitch, designer Mick Ricereto and PIRCH to create 20 of the kitchen spaces. The idea was to transform perceptions about SieMatic in its customers’ eyes.
SieMatic’s Pure Kitchen
SieMatic PIRCH SoHo Pure Classic
“SieMatic wants to go away from being just a product. It’s not what we produce, but the experience we offer our architects and clients — to give them the freedom to design the kitchen of their preference and lifestyle,” he says.
SieMatic’s Classic Beaux Arts Kitchen
It took a great deal of vision for the 87-year-old German company to think outside the box and recognize the opportunity PIRCH presented. “First, there has to be this brand alignment that’s methodical but open, game-changing but traditional,” he says. “Part of it’s a gut feeling that they’ll be good partners, but it’s all about who you work with and how you work with them.”
That’s not to say there weren’t bumps in the road leading here; there were, he says. But hey — in PIRCH SoHo and seven more collaborations across the nation — this is the proverbial match made in you-know-where.
