The making of our Zurich Flagship store
- Article by
Diana Dowling, Head of Retail Design
On's Zurich Flagship store opened on the promenade of the Limmatquai in 2025. Resident Head of Retail Design, Diana Dowling, walks through the highlights of the project.
What was the inspiration behind this project?
Designing a new store in our hometown came with a lot of opportunities and challenges. We already had a beautiful store at On Labs, so the question was: How can we make this new store feel like an evolution and unique to Zurich? The initial inspiration came from our focus on design and engineering. We then looked at the building’s history and the neighborhood to draw inspiration from the city around us, such as incorporating the flow of the Limmat river.
What was the original vision for the project and how did it evolve throughout the process?
I always approach design architecture-first. Whether it’s a mall or a unique street-side building, there is always a characteristic to work with – the path of travel, the sightlines, the neighborhood. For instance, in Zurich, the new store is actually two buildings combined, which creates a dual-level design. Meanwhile, staples like our shoe wall become a focal point. On top of that, we find ways to blend this with innovations that elevate our products and our brand story, such as the atrium space – where we feature campaigns – and the CloudTec™ table.
The CloudTec™ table is a good example of what we call a “phygital” experience. It creates both physical and digital ways of connecting with our products. These are throughout the store and they bring a premium yet authentic experience to customers.
Were there any bold design decisions you made? How did they turn out?
The rock is a feature we’ve included in many of our spaces, including our offices. It’s an exact replica of the stone in Engadine where our founders Olivier, Casper and David came up with the idea of On. It’s an important part of our heritage. The surface is coated in brass, which is an homage to the history of the building as it was previously a music store with brass instruments. Over time the surface will patina, creating a beautiful aged effect.
How did you balance creative freedom with the given constraints of the project?
Naturally, your home store gets a lot of eyes. There are so many passionate people involved in these projects, so it’s important to make sure the vision stays true throughout.
