Prada Epicentre,<br>New York - Inside Outside

Prada Epicentre,

New York

Place

: Prada Store, New York, USA

Client

: Prada

Architect

: OMA, New York

Scope of work

: VIP-dressing rooms, knitted sound socks, advisory on interior finishes

Date

: 2001

Our mission was to design a unique track configuration and curtains, which could both act to define two VIP dressing rooms, in the basement of the New York flagship store. Each room which is created by the curtains, was obliged to be acoustically muffled so that conversations between clients inside the rooms could not be overheard by the staff passing outside them.

Inside Outside developed plissé curtains with transparent plastic linings. The millions of pleats act as air chambers, muting the sound within the rooms and stabilizing the interior temperature. Along the lower edge, rectangular windows give a glimpse into the life behind the curtain, also preventing people from entering unnoticed. Strategically placed slits form uncomplicated entrances to each room.

On the ground floor above, a gigantic sock made of a double layer of knitted silver voile is suspended from one of the 'hanging city' metal-mesh cages, acting as a protective hood for Prada's audio system. Clusters of speakers, wires and cables are hidden inside and the socks open structure, mimicking the expanded metal of the other 'hanging city' cupboards.

This knitted structure also acts as a filter allowing the sound to pass through unobstructed.

Team Inside Outside

: Petra Blaisse with Anky Adriaanse, Lieuwe Conradie, Peter Niessen

Photographs: ©Inside Outside and ©OMA