Louis Vuitton's Spiralling Double-Helix Glass Elevator
Louis Vuitton joins the forefront of luxury retailers who are rethinking level transition by designing bespoke elevator experiences to help set it apart from the crowd. The brands recent boutique in London is described as a marvellous three storey “townhouse” complete with special moments and quality craftsmanship to draw in global shoppers.
One of those special moments is a double-helix glass elevator and display case that spirals up through all three floors of the town house. To achieve this feature, GBH Design along with Elevator Planning UK Ltd was hired to manufacture and install the custom designed elevator. The companies worked in close collaboration with world renowned interior designer Nicolas Gwenael and the architects of Louis Vuitton to develop the impressive lift system to fit harmoniously into the luxury retail space.
Spiralling Glass Elevator Shaft. Photo supplied by Louis Vuitton.
The result of the collaboration is a circular scenic elevator which rotates within a wooden double helix which further emphasizes the head turning movement when travelling the three storeys up or down. Powered by a 3 stop hydraulic drive, the circle platform scenic car travels a total height of 11.47m. Finished with mirror stainless steel details in a low iron glass shell enclosure, the lift is rated to 900kg, 12 persons, and travels at a speed of 0.50m/s.
‘The first impressions of the store are those of simplicity and modernity,’ says design director Gwenael Nicolas.. ‘In general, stores are very static – especially those in department stores. But here, we added an unexpected element that’s very site-specific. Customers leave with a smile.’
Due to the differently positioned landing doors on each of the three floors, the car travels at different speeds while spiralling ensuring the perfect stop at each floor. The corkscrew effect is achieved by adding a rotating conveyor belt within the car platform that quite literally transforms the glass cab into a moving display system within the store.
The final result of all these gestures is a truly exceptional shopping experience that celebrates Louis Vuittons commitment to their global clientele and the design community as a whole. For the vertical transportation industry, this dedication for extraordinary design raises up the role of the elevator from just a necessary piece of architecture equipment to the next level of high end retail luxury.
