Tiffany Facade Singapore Changi

Tiffany Facade Singapore Changi

[English text below] Berlokasi di Singapore Changi Airport, Tiffany & Co. menghadirkan sebuah fasad yang tidak hanya sebagai elemen ritel, tetapi juga instalasi arsitektural yang membawa narasi lingkungan. Proyek ini dikembangkan bersama perusahaan teknologi arsitektur asal Amsterdam, Aectual, dan firma engineering asal Milan, BURO MILAN. Desainer menerjemahkan identitas khas Tiffany melalui eksplorasi material, pendekatan kontekstual, serta teknologi fabrikasi mutakhir. 

Sejumlah karakter utama yang merepresentasikan identitas brand diolah kembali ke dalam desain, mulai dari sentuhan warna Tiffany Blue yang ikonik, eksplorasi material inovatif, hingga referensi terhadap karya kaca dekoratif dan motif alam milik Louis Comfort Tiffany. Seluruh elemen tersebut tidak dihadirkan secara literal, melainkan diinterpretasikan ulang melalui pendekatan arsitektur kontemporer yang merespons konteks tropis dan lanskap maritim Singapura.

Terinspirasi dari terumbu karang di perairan Singapura, fasad store dibentuk melalui layar organik berpola sel yang melapisi permukaan kaca di belakangnya. Geometri berpori tersebut menghadirkan karakter yang ringan sekaligus kompleks, menyerupai formasi bawah laut. Pada lapisan kaca, gradasi warna membentang dari robin’s-egg blue khas Tiffany menuju warna sapphire yang lebih gelap, merefleksikan lanskap laut di sekitarnya. Peralihan warna menciptakan kedalaman visual yang berubah sepanjang hari, memungkinkan permainan cahaya dan bayangan menghidupkan storefront dari berbagai sudut pandang.

Inovasi terbesar proyek ini terletak pada strategi materialnya. Layar setebal 50 milimeter tersebut diproduksi melalui teknologi 3D printing menggunakan plastik daur ulang yang berasal dari jaring ikan bekas di kawasan perairan regional. Dengan mengintegrasikan limbah laut langsung ke dalam elemen arsitekturnya, fasad ini membangun hubungan nyata antara praktik reuse material dan komitmen Tiffany terhadap pelestarian laut. Penggunaan additive manufacturing juga memungkinkan geometri kompleks yang terinspirasi dari karang dapat diproduksi secara presisi, sekaligus menjaga fleksibilitas desain storefront secara keseluruhan.

Di balik tampilannya yang ekspresif, proyek ini juga dibentuk oleh berbagai tantangan teknis. Lingkungan bandara memiliki regulasi fire safety yang sangat ketat, terutama terhadap penggunaan material daur ulang pada sistem fasad. Untuk menjawab tantangan tersebut, BURO MILAN mengembangkan aditif berbahan dasar air laut yang memungkinkan komposisi plastik daur ulang tetap memenuhi standar keamanan tanpa mengorbankan tujuan keberlanjutan proyek. Solusi tersebut menunjukkan bagaimana performa teknis dan tanggung jawab lingkungan dapat berjalan beriringan melalui kolaborasi lintas disiplin.

Lebih dari sekadar frontage retail, fasad Tiffany & Co. di Changi Airport merepresentasikan pergeseran pendekatan dalam arsitektur luxury retail saat ini. Identitas brand tidak lagi hanya dikomunikasikan melalui simbol visual, tetapi juga melalui narasi material, teknologi, dan respons terhadap konteks tempatnya berada. (uci)

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Tiffany Facade Singapore Changi

Located at Singapore Changi Airport, Tiffany & Co. has unveiled a facade that serves not only as a retail element but also as an architectural installation carrying an environmental narrative. The project was developed in collaboration with Amsterdam-based architectural technology firm Aectual and Milan-based engineering firm BURO MILAN. The designers translated Tiffany’s signature identity through material exploration, a contextual approach, and cutting-edge fabrication technology.

Several key characteristics representing the brand’s identity were reimagined into the design, ranging from touches of the iconic Tiffany Blue and innovative material exploration to references to Louis Comfort Tiffany’s decorative glasswork and nature motifs. Rather than being presented literally, all these elements were reinterpreted through a contemporary architectural approach that responds to Singapore’s tropical context and maritime landscape.

Inspired by the coral reefs in Singapore’s waters, the store’s facade is shaped by an organic, cellular-patterned screen that overlays the glass surface behind it. This porous geometry introduces a lightweight yet complex character, mimicking underwater formations. On the glass layer, a color gradient stretches from Tiffany’s signature robin ’s-egg blue to a deeper sapphire hue, reflecting the surrounding ocean landscape. This color transition creates visual depth that shifts throughout the day, allowing a play of light and shadow to bring the storefront to life from various vantage points.

The project’s greatest innovation lies in its material strategy. The 50-millimeter-thick screen was produced using 3D printing technology from recycled plastics sourced from reclaimed fishing nets in regional waters. By integrating marine waste directly into its architectural elements, the facade establishes a tangible connection between material reuse practices and Tiffany’s commitment to ocean conservation. The use of additive manufacturing also allowed the complex, coral-inspired geometry to be precisely produced while maintaining the overall flexibility of the storefront design.

Behind its expressive appearance, the project was also shaped by various technical challenges. The airport environment enforces highly stringent fire safety regulations, particularly regarding the use of recycled materials in facade systems. To address this challenge, BURO MILAN developed a seawater-based additive that allowed the recycled plastic composition to meet safety standards without compromising the project’s sustainability goals. This solution demonstrates how technical performance and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand through cross-disciplinary collaboration.

More than just a retail frontage, the Tiffany & Co. facade at Changi Airport represents a paradigm shift in contemporary luxury retail architecture. Brand identity is no longer communicated solely through visual symbols, but also through material narratives, technology, and a deliberate response to the context of its location.

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Architectural Design: MVRDV
Design Principal(s): Jacob van Rijs
Design Team:  Jacob van Rijs, Fokke  Moerel, Aser Gimenez Ortega, Elien Deceuninck, Simone Costa, Monica Di Salvo, Xiaoyi Qin, Natalia Lipczuk, Yayun Liu, Jaka Korla 

Name of Project: Tiffany Facade Singapore Changi
Location:  Singapore Changi Airport T1
Owner: Tiffany & Co.
Design Period: 2022-2023
Site Area: 142 sqm.
Contractor:  Grandwork
Engineering Advisor: BUROMILAN
Lighting: Cooley Monaro Studio

Photographer:  Courtesy of Tiffany & Co. 

PRODUCT SOURCES
Coral in recycled
Fishnet material: Aectual B.V
Glass with gradient print: DDG Glass