Caudalie U.S. Headquarters

CategoryOffices
Year2013
LocationNew York, NY
Size6,000 sf

The US Headquarters of French luxury beauty company, Caudalie, not only brings to life the brand and its heritage, it also celebrates the character and texture of New York City.

Located in Manhattan’s Garment District, the 6,000 sf space is used for business operations and promoting the brand. So while it was important that it meet the programming needs of an office, expressing the essential DNA of Caudalie as if it were a consumer-facing retail space was imperative.

Caudalie has its roots in France’s wine culture and began as a vinotherapy spa on the grounds of the Smith Haut-Laffite winery. This informed a streamlined material palette of white oak, blackened steel, and pine wine crates imported from France, all derived from the materials of winemaking.

The Mapos-designed reception desk was inspired by wine tasting tables as well as the work of Jean Prouvé, and features lighting reclaimed from an abandoned factory. The founders are an important part of the brand’s identity, so their glass-enclosed offices are located directly behind reception; this allows for connection with all those that visit or work there.

Exposed terracotta walls, steel columns, and concrete floors ensure a texture of New York comes through in the aesthetic. With unobstructed views to the South, West, and North, natural light is abundant. Sound absorbing fabrics in a subtle spectrum of the brand’s colors aid in sound masking while adding a luxurious layer to the space.

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It was important that the space meet the programming needs of an office, expressing the essential DNA of Caudalie as if it were a consumer-facing retail space.

Mapos worked with the bones of the original building to ensure a texture of New York came through, stripping the existing site down to reveal terra cotta walls, steel columns, and concrete floors.