There’s a new heading to note down in the log for luxury watchmaking fans. The co-ordinates lead to the heart of Rome – via di San Giacomo 20-21, in fact, where Hausmann & Co. recently opened LOFT. (All our posts on Hausmann & Co here)
Hausmann & Co : high horology found its space LOFT: between past and future
Be careful, though, not to confuse it with the English word – in this case it’s a space designed to transform the luxury watchmaking world into an immersive experience, a safe harbour where watch enthusiasts can widen their horological knowledge. In the words of Francesco Hausmann and Giulia Mauro, the French group’s CEOs, “LOFT is our link with the past and our drive towards the future. The idea is to create a contemporary salon, a place where people can discover the world of high jewellery through innovation and technology, creating a community where clients are encouraged to return not only to buy but also to enjoy a full-on experience of this world, discovering what’s new, learning more about it or just enjoying the place and its welcoming atmosphere”.
Designed for collectors
The space is designed for collectors attracted by the world of vintage objects, but also for young creatives eager to learn, thanks to the presence of unconventional niche brands and creators of small series products or single pieces.
Special attention has been paid to those in search of a special personalisation, with a master artisan who will make any type of strap. Technology also plays a central role – in fact, clients will receive an NFT linked to the in-store service, as already occurs in the group’s Boutique, the first Italian retailer to enter the metaverse, while in the dedicated Play Room space cutting-edge and innovative technology enables visitors to take part in events in other parts of the world like auctions, sales, and exclusive presentations.
Hausmann & Co LOFT, a project by GGAStudio and VisualProjectStudio
The project is produced by GGAStudio and VisualProjectStudio. “A number of different fragments refer to and re-evoke the shop in Via del Corso, where the Hausmann & Co story began – the chandelier in the entrance, the hanging clock in the gallery or the decorative carpet, a technical reference that harks back to the one in the original shop”, say architects Giorgio Grandi and Marco Covini. “It’s a way of inspiring empathy with clients, but also of welcoming those who are unaware of the group’s past but immediately recognise its excellence”.
Matteo Zaccagnino
