In spite of the recession, luxury retailers continue to market to the wealthy who visit Las Vegas from all over the world each year. Vegas is the home of the famous Caesars Palace Forum Shops, which had the highest sales per square foot in 2009 of any shopping mall in the US, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times, as well as the Esplanade at Wynn Las Vegas, the Shoppes at the Palazzo and others who brought in world class luxury brands previously not available in Sin City. Crystals at CityCenter, one of the newest players in the high-end retail game, has upped the ante by incorporating architectural design as a key element to attracting discerning shoppers. The Times article says of Crystals:
“With its dramatic, jutting ceiling planes and gleaming curved surfaces, Crystals aims to appeal to the shopper who is more interested in art and architecture than a Fall of Atlantis fountain show.”
German architect Daniel Libeskind worked as a design consultant from his Studio Daniel Libeskind (SDL) headquarters in New York with Adamson Associates Architects, a Canadian firm which is currently working on Towers 2, 3, and 4 of the new World Trade Center complex in New York. The Rockwell Group, a New York firm founded by David Rockwell provided the interior design. Unique features such as the 31-foot chandelier adorning the atrium in the three-story Louis Vuitton store and the “water turbine” art make the shopping complex a unique experience. In an article posted by the Toronto Star at the time CityCenter’s opening last year, Vegas theatre critic Ouzounian quoted architect Libeskind as he talked about the space:
“Yes, it’s a high-end shopping place, but it’s also very inviting. It sends out a message that you don’t have to spend money here, you can just walk around and enjoy it.”
As a part of MGM’s CityCenter complex (also home to the Vdara hotel which we told you about earlier), Crystals was awarded Gold LEED Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. In fact, the developer’s commitment to green design began early as 85 percent of the materials from the Boardwalk hotel which was demolished to make room for CityCenter were reused or recycled, and the same is true for over 94 percent of the construction waste generated by the project. Among many other sustainable features of the center is the use of efficient water fixtures and the reuse of captured water resulting in annual water savings 38 percent higher than building codes require.
Whether you are in the market for some Bulgari, Hermès or Christian Dior - or whether like most of us you just enjoy admiring interesting and beautiful architecture, Crystals is worth a visit on your next trip to Vegas.
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