Concord/Movado Pavilion | Ottavio Di Blasi

We competed, among other Italian, French, Belgian and Swiss architects, in a by-invitation contest initiated by Movado Group, one of the United States leading watch producers. Our winning project design concept was representing the intrinsic value of the Concord/Movado brand: elegance, innovation and style, in a world where every form has its own meaning and where control over space and time is more important than their value. We have created a building that breaks away from the traditional concept of exhibition pavilions, consisting of two classical yet innovative twin constructions on two floors. Lightness, elegance, technical excellence and soft details are the key characteristics of the design.The strength of the project comes from the dominant curved line delineating the contour of the façade, from the expert balance of materials and architectural details expressing the central Concord/Movado qualities. The pavilion is constructed in stone, cherry wood, glass and steel. The two main façades are each 30 meters long and covered in 700 “rosale” stone panels. The stonewalls are a modern element inserted on a classic concept: the 6 mm thin slabs are mounted on a support panel, designed for maximum mechanical resistance and easy assembly. This is a key feature of the design, because the pavilion must be assembled in only two weeks. The other two façades are two massive 80 square meter glass windows. The two twin buildings face a central public space, and are connected by a 12 m long light glass and steel bridge. The pavilions are composed of 18 private offices, 6 conference rooms, 2 business centres, 2 refreshment bars, 2 rooms with a safe, an entrance hall and a reception desk area.