PENHALIGON’S
Palo Alto, CA
Client: Penhaligon’s
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Scope: 500 sf Boutique Retail Parfumerie
Role: Architect of Record
When the British luxury perfume house Penhaligon's (established London 1870) chose Palo Alto for their Northern California debut, they found a 436 square-foot space in a high-end Stanford shopping center that would require both sophistication and careful planning. The challenge was to honor the brand's 150-year heritage while creating a refined environment that could showcase their collection within tight spatial constraints.
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NCA Studio served as both Executive Architect and local Project Manager—a holistic approach essential for meeting exceptional quality standards and an ambitious six-week construction schedule. The work demanded international coordination, careful material sourcing from local and overseas suppliers, landlord review navigation, and management of extensive owner-supplied materials. Our expertise in design and deep knowledge of California's building industry allowed us to deliver this jewel box on time.
The result speaks through refined details: brass finishes, delicate lighting, and a flooring pattern that dances subtly with the chemist-style shelving on the walls. The material palette—brass, stone, and wood—mirrors the brand's elegance and expresses timeless contemporary quality. Each perfume is illuminated on a central brass profile table and displayed on brass and fumed oak shelves.
Custom-cut limestone blocks wrap the exterior facade in a clean palette, offering a modern interpretation of an Old World establishment. Brass window frames play against the stone and echo the interior's brass, crown-like table, creating an elegant transition from exterior masonry to interior refinement. Modern brass double doors welcome customers into a space defined by high-quality craftsmanship and sophisticated modernity.
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Owner’s Representative
K2 ConsultancyGeneral Contractor
James Barb ConstructionMechanical Electrical and Plumbing Engineering
Breen Engineering