Diller Scofidio + Renfro Creates a Sculptural Facade for an Expanded Cartier Boutique in the Miami Design District
The renovated and expanded Cartier boutique in the Miami Design District.
Architects & Firms
Cartier announced the reopening of its freshly renovated and expanded Miami Design District flagship boutique, at 147 NE 39th Street. The textured, iridescent facade was designed by longtime Cartier collaborator Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DSR).
DSR, whose previous work with the company includes its traveling exhibition, Cartier and Islamic Art (2021–2024), here created a sculptural glass skin with a pattern adapted from a 1909 Cartier brooch etched on its surface. “We conceived the wraparound facade in undulating glass “to draw in passersby while knitting together the store and the street,” says Elizabeth Diller, DSR founding partner. The glazing’s treatment “produces a diaphanous effect, allowing views into the store while preserving its sense of mystique.”
Photo courtesy Cartier
Photo courtesy Cartier
Inspired by Miami’s vibrant cultural history, the whimsical interiors—conceived by interior designer Laura Gonzalez—incorporate imagery from the local landscape, as well as the flora and fauna depicted in Cartier’s designs. Daylight refracts through the etched glass, illuminating the ground floor, which features bright colors and organic shapes. As a tribute to Miami’s palm trees, mangroves, and ocean life, a seashell-shaped staircase connects each floor, and leaf motifs wrap around the columns on the first floor. Lush, tropical plants and coral and yellow seating enliven the outdoor roof terrace. “I imagined the store as a sensory journey,” explains Gonzalez. “Each space evokes a different emotion: vitality and movement at the entrance, intimacy in the VIP lounges on the first floor, conviviality on the terrace with its welcoming, custom-made wavy benches. The entire journey is designed as a succession of landscapes intended to arouse curiosity and wonder.”
Photo courtesy Cartier
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