NBA Flagship Store, Manhattan
Retrofit Team
Architect: Gensler, New York, in conjunction with Kurt Salmon and TAD Associates, New York
Metal Panel Installer: MBM Metal Works, Hong Kong
Façade Consultant: Studio NYL, Boulder, Colo.
Materials
Custom metal panels with a hardwood floor pattern (derived from the NBA’s maple-wood courts) extend outward beyond the glass façade to form portals and awnings. The aluminum panels bring the “hardwood court” look to the exterior façade.
The design process for the metal panels started with a sample of the Madison Square Garden court. The manufacturer carried out an exterior lumiflon resin technology process, starting by digitally copying the material properties of the court and creating multiple diamond and laser-engraved steel “design cylinders” that convey the qualities of the hardwood court. The cylinders are etched into a 1/8-inch aluminum plate through a controlled process of adding pearlized inks and resin. The plates were then baked to seal in the print.
The manufacturer’s technology allows for a wide range of coloration, glossiness and texture, which allows the design team to create a wide-range of material effects—from wood and natural-stone finishes to a plethora of abstract, bespoke and metallic finishes. The company’s printed resin fabrication process comes into play with the inner lining of the NBA’s massive trademarked logo. Thanks to the process, the metal surface was able to be post-formed in a challenging bent configuration to which typical painted surfaces would not hold up.
Custom Metal Panels Manufacturer: Pure + Freeform
The Retrofit
The NBA Store, which occupies a 25,000-square-foot corner storefront on Fifth Avenue and 45th Street, offers an immersive shopping experience for fans. The store is a multidimensional design effort that merges basketball memorabilia with technology to produce unique interactive experiences. Three floors of clothing and memorabilia from NBA, WNBA and NBA D-league teams are showcased.
Photo: Joe Brennan, Courtesy Pure+Freeform