Bergdorf Goodman 5F Contemporary Environment
New York, New York

The new design of the 25,000 square-foot Bergdorf Goodman Fifth Floor (5F) is based on the concepts of openness, meandering and theatrical space. Individual mise-en-scenes define product areas and invite a fluid movement through the space. Just as in a theater stage, the display environment is constantly changing. Instead of remaining fixed and static, the Fifth Floor has a flexible, changeable display concept that allows for the constant renewal of the space. Shoppers will not have to take the same path from month to month or season to season, just as the fashion collections themselves are continually refreshed and renewed. The space is open yet intimate, understated and theatrical.

The Fifth Floor project represents a fresh and modern outlook on the classic Bergdorf tradition. Working within the Beaux-Arts mansion on 5th Avenue, the designers created an open, more casual environment that feels young and progressive. Gabellini Sheppard looked at the specific history of this building and burnished it, moving it into the next generation in a contemporary way.

The louvered ceiling of 5F enhances the feeling of openness and introduces light into the space in a way that simulates natural, outdoor light. Although the ceilings of Bergdorf's upper floors are not particularly high, the ceiling concept represents a special type of design solution to make the space feel more generous. The overlapping, luminous louvers soften and dissolve the ceiling plane, and appear instead as a floating, porous fabric gently separating the interior from the exterior. Theatrical spotlights, which swivel in accordance with the flexible merchandising concept, highlight the collections on display, while concealed light sources within the louvers wash the space in warm, ambient light. These hidden light sources boost the energy of the space without calling attention to themselves. This dual lighting system is one of the ways in which Gabellini Sheppard subtly manipulates the interior environment for theatrical, sensory effect.