Bang & Olufsen's London showroom mixes sound, culture and sustainability
Newly opened on Bond Street, the new Bang & Olufsen London showroom combines a sensitive modular design approach and contributions from local creatives
The new Bang & Olufsen London showroom on New Bond Street is the Danish sound brand's flagship space in the city, immersing their high-tech, cleverly-designed sound objects in a world of culture and sustainability. The space was conceived to showcase the full range of Bang & Olufsen's products, but also to create a bridge with the local creative community and establish a culture of collaboration and creativity.
Step inside the new Bang & Olufsen London showroom
Set over three floors, the space was sensibly designed by the Bang & Olufsen team, led by Nikolaj Bebe, with a focus on modularity and display systems in wood and aluminium, that can adapt to the store's evolving needs and also be disassembled after use. Among the space's defining elements are a bespoke shelving units fitted with LED lighting, and a series of curving wooden panels that offer a plethora of dynamic displaying possibilities along the walls.
'Since 1925, Bang & Olufsen has brought magical experiences to the lives of people all over the world,' says the company's CEO, Kristian Teär. 'We wanted to extend this feeling to our new London flagship store by becoming the destination where you can hear, see, and feel the magic of Bang & Olufsen, experience our products and unique heritage.'
The ground floor is the customer's first approach to Bang & Olufsen, with the brand's most popular portable products (including headphones and portable speakers) on display, and a more intimate private area at the back with modernist-inspired furniture designed by Bebe and his team.
For the London opening, the Danish company commissioned London maker James Shaw, who created two benches for the space. based on recycled plastic extrusions, Shaw's work fittingly embodies Bang & Olufsen's considered approach to circularity and the collaboration with Shaw is a first step towards a wider conversation with the local creative community. The space will in fact serve as a canvas for a series of cultural initiatives including live music events, podcasts recording, streamed panel discussions and art exhibitions.
The lower ground floor is dedicated to a unique sound experience: accessed through an aluminium staircase and a soft pink antechamber, the space is a 'sensorium for the ultimate sound experience.' Kvadrat curtains enclose the space, which features soft carpeting and special, paper-based and recyclable sound proof coating to ensure a pristine sound effect. Here, customers can explore Bang & Olufsen's ultimate sonic experience and immerse themselves in the cutting edge sound technology.
The first floor, meanwhile, is dedicated to Bang & Olufsen's bespoke offering, with an apartment-like setting overlooking Bond Street and allowing customers to explore the infinite possibilities of the company's customisation opportunities.
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'A strong retail presence in cities such as New York, Paris, and London is key to our future growth, and we will continue to expand our footprint in other key cities in the years to come,' says Sidonie Robert-Degove, Head of Global Retail at Bang & Olufsen. 'We have had a strong commitment to London for years, and our new flagship store complements our existing presence in the city, including Harrods and Selfridges. With our global network of more than 400 Bang & Olufsen branded stores, we have a unique opportunity to give our customers a full product and brand experience like no other in our industry.'
Bang & Olufsen
72 New Bond Street
W1S 1RR
Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.
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