Prada Epicenter van OMA in LA geopend

Afgelopen week werd aan de Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles het nieuwe Epicenter van Prada geopend. Na de spectaculaire eerste Prada winkel in New York doet de LA vestiging haast bescheiden aan. Architect OMA zegt er zelf van: "[...] Because of its location in Los Angeles, the store stands in a specific relation to the New York project, but also through its horizontality and the need to connect mainly two floors. As in New York the floor waves down towards the basement, in Los Angeles the same wooden plane folds up and creates a symmetrical 'hill' that supports a floating aluminum box. Inside this volume, the main store program is organized along its perimeter.

The facade towards Rodeo Drive is literally non-existent - without the classical storefront and glass enclosures, the entire width of the store opens up to the street and merges public with commercial space. The climatic separation is achieved through an air-curtain system, invisible security antennas guarantee the control of the store. At night, an aluminum panel rises from the ground and hermetically seals the building. [...]"