As seems appropriate for the flagship store of one of the world’s leading bathroom designers, the new Zaha Hadid Architects designed Roca London Gallery exudes the power of water at every turn.
The design reaches beyond the purely visual and expertly guides visitors towards an understanding of the integral relationship that exists between architecture and its bathroom- because really what space is as personal and noteworthy as bathrooms?
Roca has described Hadid’s scheme as having ‘perfectly interpreted all our brand values as well as our company philosophy in a singularly exciting and tangible way’.
The beauty and intricacy of natural forms are present throughout Roca’s product line. It is fitting as such that its display space seems to have been eroded away and polished by years of constant movement of water over the surfaces and through the spaces, giving rise to a dynamic atmosphere within the gallery. There is a philosophy which I have in many ways built my life upon- If something holds water, it will hold the eye.
The eye, just as the hypothetical water, moves continuously across the interior and exterior forms of this 1,100 m² single floor space and through the three organic openings which present it to the city of London.
Courtesy of ROCA
Project Info:
Architects: Zaha Hadid Architects
Location: Station Court Imperial Wharf, London, England
Project Team: Zaha Hadid (Design), Patrik Schumacher (Design), Woody Yao (Project Directors), Maha Kutay (Project Directors), Margarita Yordanova Valova (Project Architect); Design Development: Gerhild Orthacker, Hannes Schafelner, Jimena Araiza, Mireia, Sala Font, Erhan Patat, Yuxi Fu, Michal Treder, Torsten Broeder; Concept Design: Dylan Baker-Rice, Melissa Woolford, Matthew Donkersley, Maria Araya
Structural And Facade Engineering: Buro Happold
Mep And Acoustics Consultant: Max Fordham Consulting Engineers
Lighting Design: ISOMETRIX Lighting + Design
Client: ROCA
Photographs: Hufton + Crow
Av Consultant: Sono
Cost Manager: Betlinski
Construction: Empty, S.L.
Area: 1100.0 m2
Project Year: 2011
Project Name: Roca London Gallery
