Opened in March 24th, the new store showcases Balenciaga’s Raw Architecture concept, which reacts and responds to a building’s existing structural elements.

A chipped, raw concrete façade affixed with Balenciaga’s logo in glowing white lights announces the stark contrast between this space and its polished surroundings. Exposed inner workings, like cables hanging from a gridded ceiling, are visible from outside the large, aluminum-framed windows. Over 306 square meters of poured concrete floor underline a greyscale of deliberately unfinished and deconstructed displays, stained wall panels and columns, tarnished metal tables, industrial-style lighting and racks, and distressed fabric benches.

The space, suspended in a state of deterioration or progress, acts as an backdrop for the collections—a selection of men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, shoes, bags, accessories, jewelry, and eyewear—and for a large, window-facing digital screen that showcases updated Balenciaga content.

The Raw Architecture idea inherently consumes fewer virgin materials and meet strict sustainability requisites, using the qualities of construction as an alternative to decoration.