Relojeria Alemana's home in Palma is one of Mallorca's oldest luxury craft staples, housing the watch boutique business since it was established in 1879. Fast forward almost a century and a half, and the company was after a refresh of its beloved Spanish island headquarters and called upon locally-based architects OHLAB for help. This renovation would add a distinctly playful, 21st-century twist to its popular historical base, which was originally located on the ground level of its period building but was about to expand and take over the entire property; enter, Edificio RA, Relojeria Alemana's revamped Palma home.
Tour Relojeria Alemana's HQ redesign by OHLAB
Generous in size, Edificio RA is a seven-story, 19th-century building, spanning a total of 900 sq m. It now includes a 700 sq m multi-brand store, two dedicated Rolex and Patek Philippe boutiques, a specialised watch repair workshop, workspace, storage, and a showroom with its own terrace.
The architects centred their architectural solution on the concept of 'dynamic materiality.' Different sections are punctuated by dramatic spatial gestures which highlight the various areas' identity, adding a sculptural and luxurious feel to the whole.
There is a golden staircase, clad in steel and adorned with a light installation; a lounge area with a minibar surrounded by velvet curtains; and a suede-wrapped preowned watch section. The feeling throughout nods to understated luxury, with a distinctly 21st-century atmosphere.
At the same time, period features across the structure were lovingly maintained - such as the wooden coffered or plaster ceilings with rosettes, brass finishes, and stone floors.
'The proposal stands as a paradigm that delves into the conceptual sphere of luxury. The spaces defined by this perspective are not just physical locations but are modulated by a play of makeup and appearances, where reality blurs and perceptions are subtly altered,' the architects write.
-
Year in review: the shape of mobility to come in our list of the top 10 concept cars of 2025Concept cars remain hugely popular ways to stoke interest in innovation and future forms. Here are our ten best conceptual visions from 2025
-
These Guadalajara architects mix modernism with traditional local materials and craftGuadalajara architects Laura Barba and Luis Aurelio of Barbapiña Arquitectos design drawing on the past to imagine the future
-
Robert Therrien's largest-ever museum show in Los Angeles is enduringly appealing'This is a Story' at The Broad unites 120 of Robert Therrien's sculptures, paintings and works on paper
-
In the heart of Basque Country, Bjarke Ingels unveils a striking modular building devoted to culinary researchSee what the architect cooked up for the Basque Culinary Center in San Sebastián, Spain
-
Spice up the weekly shop at Mallorca’s brutalist supermarketIn this brutalist supermarket, through the use of raw concrete, monolithic forms and modular elements, designer Minimal Studio hints at a critique of consumer culture
-
A Spanish house designed to ‘provide not just shelter, but a tangible, physical experience’A Spanish house outside Tarragona creates a tangible framework for the everyday life of a couple working flexibly in the digital world
-
Meet Ferdinand Fillod, a forgotten pioneer of prefabricated architectureHis clever flat-pack structures were 'a little like Ikea before its time.'
-
A courtyard house in northern Spain plays with classical influences and modernist formsA new courtyard house, Casa Tres Patis by Twobo Arquitectura, is a private complex that combines rich materiality and intriguing spatial alignments
-
In Santander, a cotton candy-coloured HQ is a contemporary delightSantander’s Colección ES Headquarters, a multifunctional space for art, office work, and hosting, underwent a refurbishment by Carbajo Hermanos, drawing inspiration from both travels and local context
-
This Madrid villa’s sculptural details add to its serene appealVilla 18 by Fran Silvestre Architects, one of a trilogy of new homes in La Moraleja, plays with geometry and curves – take a tour
-
This striking Spanish house makes the most of a tricky plot in a good areaA Spanish house perched on a steep slope in the leafy suburbs of Barcelona, Raúl Sánchez Architects’ Casa Magarola features colourful details, vintage designs and hidden balconies
