Two years into the construction of their Paris flagship and the day QHLA opened for business, Abercrombie & Fitch asked me to design the garden of the Madrid counterpart. It would play a more minor but still important role in the store experience—a secret garden viewed through open doors, a luxurious urban oasis. Having established the modern formal aesthetic at the Paris garden, we needed to establish consistency between the two, while respecting the climactic, horticultural and preservationist requirements of Madrid. The Spanish capital fiercely protects its green spaces, particularly those within historical districts. This garden, however, was more paved than planted—a jumble of granite blocks with a few neglected planting beds interspersed throughout.
Large magnolias seemed to have grown from seed, as opposed to a deliberate arrangement of trees. And two fountains sat haphazardly within the garden, divorced from the architecture that anchors the site. To introduce cohesion and order, the design proposed reorganizing the elements and creating an axial view through the garden. The large existing fountain would determine the center of the axis, around which all other spaces were arranged. Two large magnolia trees were relocated to allow a vista of the fountain from the terrace. And the softness of lawn and gravel replaced the cold granite paving. Respectful of its past but redefined by shades of green, the long-suffering garden reclaimed an air of quiet dignity.
The store--formerly a private home--is located in the prestigious Salamanca district of Madrid.
To establish a connection to the building, the garden was designed in a series of terraces.
A metal pergola planted with fragrant climbing Jasmine provides the first hint of a garden from inside the store.
The simply composed Lawn Terrace lies at the base of the stairs.
The entire garden is organized along an axis centered on the existing historically-protected fountain.
Formerly surrounded by granite paving, the fountain now holds court in the Upper Terrace.
The palette of plants throughout the garden is minimal--yew, magnolia, ivy and lawn.
Large existing magnolias were accentuated by an aerial hedge of smaller trees.
The Lower Terrace is anchored by a wall fountain (original to the site).
