Key facts
- Prix Versailles has revealed its selection of the world's most beautiful retail emporiums for 2026.
- The chosen locations include luxury boutiques and galleries in Beijing, Paris, Tokyo, Miami, and Beverly Hills.
- Notable selections include House of Dior Beijing, designed by Christian de Portzamparc, and Tiffany & Co. Ginza in Tokyo, by Jun Aoki.
- Cartier Miami, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, incorporates local natural elements and brand heritage.
- The awards emphasize the connection between retail spaces, brand history, culture, and visual appeal.
The Prix Versailles, an esteemed architecture awards program, has unveiled its list of the world's most beautiful retail emporiums for 2026. This year's selection highlights seven distinctive luxury shopping spaces from around the globe, emphasizing the critical link between retail environments and aesthetic appeal.
The chosen locations showcase a diverse range of architectural styles and cultural influences. The House of Dior in Beijing, designed by Christian de Portzamparc, blends French luxury with Chinese cultural elements through its use of golden glass tiles and art installations. In Paris, RH Champs-Élysées, by Foster + Partners, features a striking glass and steel structure, while Saint Laurent Montaigne serves as an art gallery as much as a boutique, showcasing works from the Pinault Collection.
Further afield, Tiffany & Co.'s Ginza store in Tokyo, designed by Jun Aoki, captivates with its wave-like Tiffany Blue glass façade. Cartier's Miami boutique, by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, draws inspiration from both the brand's historical jewelry and Miami's natural landscape. The House of Dior in Beverly Hills, designed by Peter Marino Architects, incorporates floral motifs reflecting Christian Dior's love for plants. Lastly, Issey Miyake's New York space, by SO–IL, fuses American and Japanese design philosophies with raw, industrial materials, also serving as a gallery.
According to Jérôme Gouadain, Secretary General of the Prix Versailles, these projects are distinguished by their ability to draw from their brand's history and culture, creating spaces that foster creation and inspiration through dialogue with their surroundings.