Dezeen promotion: Vitra is offering a virtual tour of its Herzog & de Meuron-designed flagship store in Germany, revealing a new mural by Norwegian artist Oscar Grønner and a "surreal dream house" in the loft designed by Charlap Hyman & Herrero.
Marking its 10th anniversary this year, the VitraHaus will open its doors to virtual guests for the first time on 23 October 2020.
The tour takes place in conjunction with the Vitra Summit, a free digital conference exploring the future roles of the home and workplace.
Comprising multiple barn-shaped buildings that appear to have been stacked on top of each other over five floors, the VitraHaus serves as the flagship store for Swiss furniture brand Vitra.
Since it was first completed in 2010, it has been one of the most popular attractions at the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany, where the Vitra Design Museum is located and where Vitra has its production facilities.
"When we opened the VitraHaus in 2010, we did not expect it to attract so many people," said Till Weber, creative director of the VitraHaus. "Around 350,000 visitors come here every year."
To coincide with the anniversary, the building has undergone a comprehensive refurbishment. Every exhibition has been refreshed, plus a spiral staircase that was previously only used by staff has been opened up to the public.
Extending through five storeys, from the ground floor to the loft, the interior of this staircase is now decorated with Oscar Grønner's illustrations. Taking the form of a comic strip, his playful mural charts the 70-year history of Vitra.
In the loft, American architecture firm Charlap Hyman & Herrero has created a dream-house scene based on numerous film and literature inspirations.
There are references to Michelangelo Antonioni's Trilogy of Decadence, as well as Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless.
This space has been styled by various well-known designers in the past, including Jasper Morrison and Raw Edges. But this latest incarnation has the most distinctive identity of them all, in soft shades of blue and green.
"The result is quite audacious," stated Weber. "Curated, but playful at the same time."
Also being showcased on the tour, exhibition spaces have been reimagined as "a changing series of interior collages", showing the versatility of Vitra's designs.
One space focuses on "Scandinavian simplicity", while another celebrates "Mediterranean opulence".
In the Lounge Chair Atelier, it's possible to watch Vitra furniture makers crafting the iconic Eames Lounge Chair.
Vitra is also exhibiting its first recycled chair, the Tip Ton RE, which is manufactured from upcycled household waste.
The VitraHaus virtual tour takes place on 23 October 2020 between 9:30am and 11am CETÂ as part of Dynamic Spaces, one of the four sessions in the Vitra Summit programme. It will be included as part of New Dynamics in the Home.
The Vitra Summit is free of charge and open to all. To secure a ticket, simply register online.
The VitraHaus is also open daily to physical guests, although the opening hours have been restricted due to Covid-19. The new hours are from 12pm to 5pm every day.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for Vitra as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.