British architect David Chipperfield has won a competition to rebuild the new 165,000 square feet office USA headquarters for luxury watch brand Rolex in New York. The high-rise will replace the Swiss watchmaker’s existing home on the corner of 5th Avenue and 53rd Street, which it has occupied since the 1970s.
The new building will grow to 25-stories and feature a visually impressive series of glass boxes stepped vertically, all built to the LEED Platinum standard, the US Green Building Council’s highest rating for environmental efficiency. The glass is mostly translucent to offer blurred views inside, while other portions are transparent to form huge windows indoors. In addition to the corporate offices and service center on the upper levels, the ground level will get a larger, more prominent boutique, befitting the brand.
“We are proud to have been selected to design the Rolex USA headquarters building,” said Chipperfield. “Our team is committed to creating an exemplary building befitting the heritage and culture of the Rolex brand, as well as its prominent 5th Avenue location.”
His firm’s other projects in North America, include the overhaul of the Minneapolis Museum of Artand a store for fashion company Ssense in Montreal. Discover Opulent Club on Apple News.