Heatherwick Studio has revisited and reimagined its iconic Longchamp boutique in Downtown Manhattan, delivering a fresh and vibrant update that blends bold color with tactile, three-dimensional textures. Originally completed in 2006, the boutique’s sculptural steel staircase—a defining architectural feature—has been transformed with Longchamp’s signature Energy Green, breathing new life into the historic 1930s building. Alongside this striking recoloring, the studio introduced custom-designed carpets that interact seamlessly with the store’s structural elements, enhancing the sensory experience while maintaining the original spirit of the space. This thoughtful renovation highlights Heatherwick Studio’s commitment to adapting and evolving architecture rather than replacing it, marking a significant evolution for the celebrated retail destination.
Revisiting an iconic retail space
Originally completed in 2006, La Maison Unique was Heatherwick Studio’s pioneering retail project for the luxury French brand Longchamp. Located in a historic 1930s SoHo building, the studio transformed the space by adding a new story and cutting a dramatic hole through the center to accommodate a monumental steel staircase. This sculptural element stretches beneath a large skylight, with vertical steel bands that ripple outwards, resembling a hillside and inviting visitors upward through the space.
For the 2025 renovation, Heatherwick Studio leaned into this “hill” metaphor by recoloring the vast steel staircase in Longchamp’s signature Energy Green. This vivid makeover highlights the staircase’s organic form, giving the store a fresh vibrancy while celebrating its original architectural concept.
Adapting and evolving the original vision
Thomas Heatherwick, founder of Heatherwick Studio, described the renovation as a rare opportunity to revisit and adapt a retail space rather than demolish and start anew. “It’s the idea of not destroying another shop, but actually adjusting it and adapting it going forward,” Heatherwick said. He expressed hope that architecture can shift toward “adjusters and adapters,” focusing on thoughtful evolution rather than wholesale replacement.
Heatherwick sees this project as an “evolution” of the original shop—an example of repairing and refining a space to meet contemporary needs. The firm maintained several key features, such as the heated and bent glass balustrades, affectionately dubbed “toasted balustrades,” that add a subtle flex to the stairwell’s edges. This attention to detail preserves the boutique’s unique character while allowing it to evolve gracefully over time.
Tactile textures and a renewed atmosphere
A striking addition to the renovated store is the textured green carpet in the upper showroom, created in collaboration with French textile house Lelièvre. The carpet is designed to flow organically from the columns down onto the floor, creating a three-dimensional effect that complements the staircase’s curves. This layered textural element enhances the tactile experience of the space, drawing visitors further into the boutique.
The wooden false ceiling, which ribbons down into shelving units, adds warmth and balance to the otherwise industrial steel and glass materials. Alongside the exposed brick walls, these wooden accents create a harmonious backdrop that showcases Longchamp’s products without overpowering the architectural elements.
Breathing life into the urban fabric
Heatherwick hopes the renovation will make the store feel more open and inviting, enhancing not only the shopping experience but also the overall energy of the block. “I’m not interested in selling things whatsoever,” he remarked. “But one of the things that good shops do is breathe life into the public.”
Heatherwick Studio’s commitment to revitalizing urban spaces is evident beyond retail, with landmark projects such as Little Island, the artificial park on the Hudson River, and the Vessel, the sculptural walkway at Hudson Yards. These works continue to reflect the studio’s passion for blending bold design with thoughtful public engagement.
As one of the world’s most celebrated designers, Thomas Heatherwick recently announced the launch of a master’s program in architecture aimed at challenging conventional education and fostering innovative thinking. The reinvention of the Longchamp store is a fitting reflection of this forward-looking approach—honoring the past while embracing change.
