Tiffany’s Yorkdale Boutique Redefines Bricks and Mortar
The new design of Canada’s landmark location is inspired by diamonds in the rough.
Tiffany’s reputation precedes it: just hearing the heritage brand’s name summons the mental image of a perfect diamond. Yorkdale Mall’s newly renovated Tiffany & Co. flagship takes the thought of that diamond—light refracting in exquisite patterns—and expands it into an 8,000-square-foot emporium.
Designed by renowned architectural firm SANAA, the vast façade reflects the warm evening glow of Yorkdale’s glittering holiday displays on the flagship’s opening night. By day, sunshine pouring in through the mall’s skylight transform’s the store’s exterior—the grid of 32,000 hand-set glass bricks encased in aluminum creates the illusion of fluidity. SANAA also embedded a sort of magic trick into the façade: you can’t see in, but from the inside, you can look out on a mosaic of the mall’s promenade.
While there is a keen sense of innovative design here, it is imbued with both a respect for classic Tiffany and a distinct sense of place. In a diamond-shaped room, a custom maple-leaf light sculpture illuminates the luxury jeweller’s definitive collections. Mother-of-pearl forms the base of the glass cases. Artworks by Damien Hurz, Vik Muniz, and Sho Shibuya are showcased throughout the space, each incorporating Tiffany’s legacy, whether its signature shade of blue or its New York City roots. There is a custom Apollo chandelier in addition to ones original to Manhattan’s Metropolitan Opera House circa 1966. Wander through the store’s archways, which form a halo around the diamond, and you’ll find pieces of the Tiffany brand—a framed letter from Audrey Hepburn, two Tiffany lamps—nestled throughout the space like Easter eggs. The attention to detail is astounding, though not surprising given the brand’s historical devotion to both art and craftsmanship.
Photographs courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
