The Armani Group announces the opening of the new building at 760 Madison Avenue, on the corner of East 65th Street, completed in partnership with SL Green Realty Corp., Manhattan’s largest office landlord.

The building: form and structure

Giorgio Armani and SL Green collaborated with New York-based architecture studio COOKFOX Architects on the design of the building—9,000 square metres spread over 12 floors with eight street windows—which includes the new Giorgio Armani and Armani/Casa boutiques, an Armani/Ristorante and the luxurious Giorgio Armani Residences. The customisable residences, curated by the designer, occupy floors 4 to 12 and feature communal spaces. The striking building is characterised by a series of recessed and exposed terraces that add movement to its silhouette. The inspiration from the 1930s and 1940s aesthetics is evident: slightly rounded lines, large windows and light limestone surfaces with a canneté pattern. Affirming a profound respect for the location and its culture, the entire project was designed to integrate seamlessly into the urban landscape, blending in with the historic fabric of Manhattan's Upper East Side.

The Giorgio Armani boutique

The ground and second floors are home to the Giorgio Armani boutique, designed around a concept that recalls the aesthetics of the 1940s. The shop is characterised by a sequence of themed rooms that create a smooth pathway in which the designer juxtaposes the moiré effect of special glass panels and the Italian brand’s silk wallpaper, the tones of the delicate veined flooring and the warm colour of the eucalyptus wood used to frame the perimeter furnishings and doors in a perfect chromatic balance. Upon entrance, the customer is welcomed into a spacious room with double-height ceilings. The ground floor displays women's clothing, accessories and eyewear design, Armani Beauty, Armani Privé fragrances and a selection of Armani/Dolci product designs. The impressive staircase design serves as the central feature that guides visitors to the spacious, composite second floor where, alongside women's eveningwear and the fine jewellery collection, the men's clothing and accessories collections are displayed. Special focus is placed on the VIP room waiting and fitting service and the Made to Order women's and Made to Measure men's services. The chair designs and lamp designs are from the Armani/Casa collection.

Armani/Casa

Located on the third floor, the Armani/Casa boutique covers an area of 280 square metres with a new concept: a large, functional open space that can be modulated by sliding walls that divide the space as required. It features an extensive display of furniture design, furnishings and accessories, an atelier with a complete display of Armani/Casa wallcoverings and fabrics. In continuity with the image of the boutique, whose flooring, onyx-effect finishes and wallcovering in more neutral tones are echoed here, this space is delineated by high wainscotting in champagne gold metal. The space will hold the current collection that experiments with unusual combinations of materials, decoration techniques and fine craftsmanship. The technical finesse is the result of production carried out entirely in Italy and craftsmanship that is the founding and identifying principle of Armani/Casa.

Armani/Ristorante

Opening onto Madison Avenue on the ground floor is Armani/Ristorante, which extends to the mezzanine level. The interior architecture of the restaurant features a contemporary design with retro allure, furnishings with soft lines and green lacquer on all surfaces, interspersed with eucalyptus wood inserts. Upon arrival, guests are welcomed into a champagne bar waiting area with a counter and high stools, divided into a large space with double-height ceilings and a more intimate room. The floor in large slabs of marble aggregate with champagne metal borders, the polished birch ceiling and the vast mirrored walls evoke the elegant mood of the 1930s and 1940s. Armani/Casa’s MIYA and HOPE lamps punctuate the space. A more private room for 40 guests is located on the mezzanine level, accessed by a spectacular gold-coloured metal staircase. Natural light, delicately screened, floods the room through windows overlooking Madison Avenue. Italian cuisine meets New York flavours in a menu defined by beautifully presented dishes made with the finest ingredients. The use of the highest quality raw materials, careful preparation of even the simplest dishes and elegant and minimal presentations define all Armani restaurants globally.

In keeping with its sustainability principles, the Armani Group announces that it has undertaken the process of obtaining LEED GOLD certification for its new Giorgio Armani and Armani/Casa boutiques. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the world's most widespread rating system for the certification of building sustainability and is an international guarantee of excellence. The sustainability strategies chosen include reducing energy consumption by more than 20 per cent, sourcing energy from renewable sources, saving more than 30 per cent of drinking water, sending almost all construction waste for recycling and selecting environmentally sustainable materials.