The Bang & Olufsen retail store opened in an array of light in Herning, Denmark. Johannes Torpe Studios collaborated with local architect Lars Sternberg from Arkitect A/S to create the impressive exterior.
We have had the pleasure to work with Bang & Olufsen and the local dealer Kenneth Koed Lauritzen, on the exterior design and architecture for the newly opened Bang & Olufsen store in Herning.
The new store that opened Thursday January 30th 2014 represents the first of its kind where the entire building is built upon Bang & Olufsen's new store concept design. The opening event was marked with the ignition of the building’s shimmering exterior lights, giving the square it stands in a new pulsating glow.
The 450 m2 store, named 'Nexus' spreads across two stories, and is an admirable flagship for the 88-year-old brand. Such an investment on Lauritzen's behalf is substantiated by his 15 years of experience with Bang & Olufsen, combined with a deep sense of loyalty towards the brand. Lauritzen believes it vital to give each customer and visitor a unique experience that transcends from the magic in the products to the design of the store itself.
Design Language and Architecture:
The building was designed in accordance with the shapes and lines in the surrounding environment of the town square. The curved edges and corners provide an organic aesthetic that gives the building a charming and inviting presence.
Since the square is of high significance to Herning, the building was to retain its existing skeletal structure. It was designed so as to complement the other buildings while standing out as an entity on its own, without taking away the focus form the iconic church in the centre axis of the square.
The design language of the building references classical buildings from Modernism such as Arne Jacobsen's Bellavista, with a choice of facade materials that give the building its own unique expression. The shape is also recognisably allusive to some of the details in Bang & Olufsen products, where the otherwise sharp geometry gets a human expression through the softness of the rounded details.
Construction and Materials
The exterior materials of the new store were selected to complement the building’s surroundings. The brass enhances the copper details of the nearby church, as well as the reddish-brown tint that exists in the surrounding brick facades of the square.
The choice of finish ensures that the facade doesn't become overly dazzling in the sunshine, and effectively changes its expression from day to day, depending on the weather. The exterior will become patinated from the daily wear and tear and the passage of time will only further beautify the building.
Lighting :
It is in the details of the exterior that make this building most remarkable. The brass sheets are backlit with LED lights that shine onto the concrete shell, and become visible through small 'breathing holes' in the brass. The lights are set with a slow fade-in and out effect so the effect from afar is a rhythmic and subtle glowing movement across the building's facade. This creates an intriguing visual experience that brings a radiance to the square during the darker hours of the day in Herning.
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