Fortunate design

Fortunate design
Fortunoff gets a new home in Manhattan inspired by the mining of precious stones

By Jessie Bove, Associate Editor
April 01, 2008

Amiaga Photographers, Amityville, N.Y.

A couple of months is a short amount of time to execute even the simplest of designs. Add on constraints such as a limited budget, and the task becomes even more difficult. But New York-based design firm Barteluce Architects & Associates embraced such a challenge when it was brought on to create a new home for fine jewelry and home furnishings retailer Fortunoff at 3 W. 57th St. in Manhattan. Barteluce Architects & Associates collaborated with New York-based Fortunoff for the first time to design the new store, which occupies three floors of the Phillips Auctioneers building, just a few blocks north of its former Fifth Avenue store. The $3.5 million project was completed in just two-and-a-half months, from design to implementation, and combines eco-friendly elements with cutting-edge design.

In order to transform the 12,600-sq.-ft. space, the design firm worked with Fortunoff's internal team, led by Kevin Halpin, vice president of construction, as well as with contract visual merchandiser Stuart Lucas, who was responsible for storefront design, caseline displays and overall visual touches. The designers were tasked with working with simple, affordable materials as a base palette spread over the overall area, while also incorporating as much of the existing lighting as possible.

The mining of precious stones was the inspiration for the design, specifically the sparkle of a gemstone, explains Brian L. Swanson, vice president, creative director of Barteluce Architects & Associates. "We have created an architecture that communicates illusions of the scintillating and luxurious via the fusion of art, matter and light," he says. The ground floor, which has a 17-ft.-high ceiling, showcases fine jewelry and watches, while the lower level is home to a diamond boutique and private viewing rooms. The upper level features a Baby Fortunoff boutique, as well as an interactive wedding and gift registry.

Recycled materials played an important role in creating the design, which Swanson describes as one of "evocative discovery." The goals for both business and design were to use recycled materials and iconic elements as prototypes for future use in other locations. To make the new Fortunoff store a unique standout in the competitive jewelry market, Barteluce Architects & Associates incorporated materials from nature, such as recycled woods, as well as recycled materials commonly used in the construction industry, including aluminum and oriented-strand board (OSB). OSB is used as the bases to all caseline, while mica sheets act as a caseline backdrop. Cavernous architecture on the ground floor is further accented with oak flooring with dark accents in an irregular parallel sequence, perforated sheet metal and an earth-toned color palette of browns, beiges and tans, with bronze and silver accents. The combination of these elements helps create a focus on the jewelry displays. Additional features include frameless glass display cases atop OSB platform bases, low-energy LED lighting, recycled aluminum "sponge" frames and perimeter graphic vignettes. "Brightly lit jewelry showcases form dense, horizontal light bands juxtaposed against an organic background interspersed with blades of glass, which refract light," explains Dan Barteluce, founder and principal of Barteluce Architects & Associates.

The organic concept, which Swanson says is intended to "unveil the mystery and secret of the mining of diamonds, gold and precious stones," utilizes elements that channel, reflect and maximize the diffusion of light via an irregular chiarascuro effect. It is this overall chiarascuro effect of light and earth-toned materials that is the metaphor for the mining environment. "The juxtaposition of light and newly conceived materials, horizontal blades of light (LEDs) and lines of shadow are the contrivances that maximize the design intent like a cinema screen that reflects a projected thought," Swanson notes.

The innovative use of materials, combined with creative lighting and organic elements, works to create a sophisticated and engaging environment for the 57th Street store. The contemporary design will serve as the prototype for future locations.

In February, Fortunoff filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, and agreed to sell itself to an affiliate of NRDC Equity Partners, the owner of department store chain Lord & Taylor. NRDC Equity Partners plans on investing $100 million into the Fortunoff business, with investments being made in both existing and additional stores. All of Fortunoff's stores and its corporate headquarters will remain open during the Chapter 11 process. Lord & Taylor expects to offer Fortunoff merchandise in all 47 of its stores, and is reportedly planning to open a large in-store Fortunoff boutique within its Fifth Avenue flagship.