Window shopping: the RIBA unveils its 2016 Regent Street project

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Back for a seventh year, the RIBA Regent Street Windows project has just launched its 2016 designs
(Image credit: Photography courtesy RIBA)

Amid Regent Street’s hustle and bustle, there’s not always much time to stop and take in the lavishly designed displays – but the RIBA Regent Street Windows project is back for its seventh year to give us pause.

For the first time, the project ventures further than just Regent Street, but includes Liberty as well as RIBA’s own Portland Place headquarters, turning the area in and around the shopping street into a public architecture exhibition that will be seen by more than one million people.

Architecture Social Club took a theatrical approach to Liberty’s history and heritage by creating a series of scenes for five of the department store’s windows, casting its founder Arthur Lasenby Liberty as the protagonist in a heroic fashion tale. The installation is a deft and detailed narrative exploit complete with mechanical movement and juxtaposed prints.

Many of these elements are hand-made, which is also true for the Kiehl’s window, a Piercy & Company x Electrolight collaboration. Inspired by the skincare brand’s newest quinoa husk-based range, a manually casted porcelain object depicts this active ingredient in the left window. The right window shows us the manufacturing remnants of the creation process alongside bell jars and Erlenmeyer flasks filled with seeds – alluding to Kiehl’s apothecary philosophy, in which provenance and botanicals are central.

Bureau de Change’s Charles Tyrwhitt window, displaying shirt patterns made of different British timbers, and the fragile Molton Brown installation made of metal roses and packaging bottles also celebrated craftsmanship, which made the Armani Exchange window all the more surprising.

Simply placing a yellow-hued screen behind the mannequins, Matheson Whiteley paid homage to the Southern Californian artists of the Light and Space movement. Considerable in scale yet discreet, it illustrates the fluid and versatile nature of contemporary architecture. 

For the first time, the project ventures further than just Regent Street, turning the area in and around the shopping street into a public architecture exhibition that will be seen by more than one million people. Pictured: 7 For All Mankind's window by KSR Architects

For the first time, the project ventures further than just Regent Street, turning the area in and around the shopping street into a public architecture exhibition that will be seen by more than one million people. Pictured: 7 For All Mankind's window by KSR Architects

(Image credit: Photography courtesy RIBA)

Matheson Whiteley worked on the store front for Armani Exchange

Matheson Whiteley worked on the store front for Armani Exchange

(Image credit: Photography courtesy RIBA)

Kate Spade New York worked with Design Haus Liberty

Kate Spade New York worked with Design Haus Liberty

(Image credit: Photography courtesy RIBA)

Piercy & Company and Electrolight collaborated on the Kiehl's window

Architecture Social Club took a theatrical approach to Liberty’s history and heritage 

(Image credit: Photography courtesy RIBA)

Kiko Milano's shopfront is the brainchild of Aleksa Studio

Kiko Milano's shopfront is the brainchild of Aleksa Studio

(Image credit: Photography courtesy RIBA)

Architecture Social Club took a theatrical approach to Liberty’s history and heritage 

Architecture Social Club took a theatrical approach to Liberty’s history and heritage 

(Image credit: Photography courtesy RIBA)

The fragile Molton Brown installation made of metal roses and packaging bottles is by Knox Bhavan and Susie MacMurray

The fragile Molton Brown installation made of metal roses and packaging bottles is by Knox Bhavan and Susie MacMurray

(Image credit: Photography courtesy RIBA)

RIBA's own headquarters on Portland Place are also part of the project, with a window by CAN and Nina Shen-Poblete

RIBA’s own headquarters on Portland Place are also part of the project, with a window by CAN and Nina Shen-Poblete

(Image credit: Photography courtesy RIBA)

Meanwhile, Uniqlo is transformed thanks to Projects Office

Meanwhile, Uniqlo is transformed thanks to Projects Office

(Image credit: Photography courtesy RIBA)

INFORMATION

The RIBA Regent Street Windows 2016 will be on show until 25 September. For more information, visit the RIBA website

Photography courtesy RIBA

Siska Lyssens

Siska Lyssens has contributed to Wallpaper* since 2014, covering design in all its forms – from interiors to architecture and fashion. Now living in the U.S. after spending almost a decade in London, the Belgian journalist puts her creative branding cap on for various clients when not contributing to Wallpaper* or T Magazine.