The Netherlands-based Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) has unveiled plans for the renovation of Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe), a Thai-owned department store in Berlin.
The store has more than 60,000m² of selling space and acts as an incubator for sophisticated crafts, social exchange and challenging experimentation in services.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Renovation of the store has been planned to redefine its existing model for retailing, and relationship with its patrons and its physical and urban settings.
Designs proposed by OMA intend to develop it as four separate quadrants, instead of treating the existing building as a singular mass.
OMA is likely to break down the existing space into new components fragments that are smaller, easily accessible and navigable.
See Also:
The design is similar to distinct urban sectors inside a unified city fabric, OMA said.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataThe firm expects the designs to address increasing shifts in consumer behaviour and the challenges posed by the popularisation of online retail on the traditional department store model.
The project is the second ongoing project for OMA in the German capital, the other one being a new building construction for the Axel Springer media group.
OMA was also responsible for developing the Netherlands Embassy (2003) and Checkpoint Charlie Apartments (1990), both in Berlin.
Image: New designs will break down the existing space into new components fragments. Photo: courtesy of OMA.
