The Secretariat of the Prix Versailles 2021 announced earlier this month that the Manhattan boutique of Âme was awarded the Special Prize Interior in the Shops & Stores category for North America. Âme is among the 70 continental winners of the Prix Versailles 2021. The boutique will now be competing for the World Title in its category. The winners of 24 World Titles in total will be revealed on December 15, 2021.
Launched in 2020 and located on 132 Spring St. in Lower Manhattan, the architectural design of Âme’s concept boutique sprouted from the mind of Ame’s creative director’s Elinor Avni. Her ideas were consequently realized by Baranowitz + Kronenberg Architects.
The core concept of the Âme boutique is the consolidation of the past, present, and future, merging the historic architecture of New York City with a cutting-edge contemporary design.
Âme’s New York flagship store showcases its exquisite collection of lab-grown diamond jewelry pieces. It takes customers on a journey of exploration through rolled stainless steel curtained walls and suspended vertical rods. The reflective monochromatic interior serves as an abstract backdrop enhancing jewelry pieces. Each piece is displayed separately beneath an elegant glass cloche.
The boutique’s steel walls represent the shadows cast from undulating cast-iron facades found around Lower Manhattan’s neighborhoods, with the duality of the historic architecture and cutting-edge modern reflecting the very soul of Âme.
Established in 2019, Âme Fine Jewelry House was created to bring together design and technology with a conscious voice. French for ‘soul,’ Âme creates a holistic experience for the senses. Its collection of fine diamond jewelry is inspired by architectural geometry and shapes found in nature. Led by Creative Director Elinor Avni, Âme seeks to innovate and modernize materials sourcing by carefully crafting each piece in New York City. Branded “Âme-grown®,” the laboratory-grown diamonds are technologically progressive and environmentally conscious. Âme has a conceptual flagship design store and showroom on Spring Street, Soho in New York City, and also operates an e-commerce store.
The Prix Versailles is an original program with the explicit aim of fostering better interaction between the economy and culture. It underlines the role economic agents can play in all sectors, to enhance, embellish and improve living environments. The Prix Versailles recognizes the most remarkable structures in terms of both interior and exterior architecture.
Vladimir Malakhov, Rough&Polished
