Holt Renfrew Facade Design

With a flagship store located in one of the most expensive shopping districts in downtown Toronto, luxury retailer Holt Renfrew engaged Gensler to reposition its window displays and disjointed facade to create a strong visual presence. The design team devised a strategy to unify five separate buildings into one cohesive facade so the scale of the store could be experienced from the street. The existing building was clad in marble that was uninsulated and the construction assembly attached to the building was worn and corroded. The new exterior is constructed of limestone that is full of fossils, adding a sense of liveliness and a textural variation between the stone panels. To revitalize the main entrance, the existing window displays were replaced with large glass panels that allow for minimal joints and no mullions. The clear glass provides passersby with unobstructed views into the store and brings in natural light. The canopy structure above the store entrance is constructed from bronze-anodized aluminum and creates a procession on the street level.