Mint Architecture develops spectacular facade for Jelmoli at Zurich Airport

The façade design is part of the overall concept developed by Mint Architecture for Jelmoli's presence in The Circle. This comprises two stores on a total area of 2110 square meters, each of which separately reflects Jelmoli's high level of expertise in the fashion and sports sector. "The challenge in developing the design concept was to communicate the individuality of the two stores through the façade and still make them appear as one unit," says Rafael Parga, Head of Design, Mint Architecture.
 
To express the differentiation, Mint Architecture relies on a material mix of black ceramic, white glass and gold metal. In combination, these convey the values of the traditional Jelmoli company in an international environment and give each store its own identity, both inside and out.
 
The façade concept is based on the interplay of materiality, texture, transparency and reflection and is visually inspired by the architecture of The Circle by Riken Yamamoto. The three materials - ceramic, glass and metal - reflect the brand values of timelessness, quality and modernity and change the overall appearance of the façade depending on the angle from which they are viewed. For example, the ceramic façade with its partially broken up herringbone pattern sometimes appears glossy, sometimes matt. The translucent, specially printed glass façade reflects the surroundings, while the golden metal façade stands for performance and dynamism. In combination with the lighting concept developed together with the lighting specialists from Reflexion, the effect of the three façades changes constantly, depending on whether they are viewed from near or far or by day or night. The entire material for the round façade surface is specially developed and produced for Jelmoli.
 
Thanks to the unique appearance of the façades and the stringent continuation of the architecture in the interior design, the two Jelmoli stores are to significantly characterize the "Brands & Dialogue" area.
 
"It is a unique opportunity to freely design the façade and thus convey the value of our brand to the outside world. It reflects our high aspiration to offer our national and international guests a great shopping experience," said Franco Savastano, CEO of Jelmoli, in a statement.
 
The opening of The Circle and thus the two Jelmoli stores is planned for 2020.