RH Chicago – The Gallery at the Three Arts Club
The Three Arts Club, a former Women’s residence and club built in 1914, has re-opened as Restoration Hardware’s flagship Chicago store. Built of brick masonry and terra cotta, the building is both a City of Chicago Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. Booth Hansen’s work on the RH Chicago involved complex and precise historic renovation which incorporates new retail and interior design.
The consumer appeal at RH Gallery is “complete room” displays, a unique retail concept. With this in mind, showroom layouts are spacious and flexible. Hints of original hallways that served residents of the historic Three Arts Club remain through the retail space. A new rooftop level with an exterior patio allows merchandise displays both inside and out, and a new two-story glass skylight encloses the center courtyard of the building, housing a cafe with an immersive dining experience celebrating the cuisine of Chicago restaurateur Brendan Sodikoff. Aligned with the character of Restoration Hardware’s product line, the new architectural interventions take on a chic industrial aesthetic, blurring the boundaries between retail, home, and hospitality.
The Gold Coast building is in a quiet, largely residential area. With both single and multi-unit buildings nearby, there was significant community input in the design process. Both Booth Hansen and the developers were held to the highest standards when executing RH Chicago, with special attention paid to noise and exterior light levels. This community engagement gave rise to a streamlined process for design and construction.
Awards: 2017 ULI Vision Award – Transformational Retail Award, 2016 Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence