By Invitation Only

T HERE ARE FEW things more British than Aston Martin, a name intimately connected with the “shaken, not stirred” James Bond as portrayed by Sean Connery back in the day.

It would be reasonable to expect, therefore, that a destination in which the Aston Martin brand is displayed would be a haven of quiet and opulent sophistication – and few places in the U.S. exude this more than New York’s Park Avenue. Couple this with an intersection with 57th Street (home to Tiffany & Co., Chanel and Dior) and Q New York – as Aston Martin’s recently opened showroom is called – looks to be in the right place.

📷 Merton Wu/courtesy of Alexander Zilberman

Alexander Zilberman, Founder and Principal Architect of AZA Design, created a clear representation of the 5000-square-foot destination: “It’s a showroom and a specs room. It’s not a dealership – it’s for Aston Martin customers and dealers in the area.”

Work on the showroom began in July 2021. Zilberman relates that a lot of time was spent “considering what the project would be and seeking to understand what the concept would look like.” Construction started in September 2022, and in June 2023, Q New York opened its doors.

📷 Courtesy of Aston Martin

THIS PAGE: Three thousand hand-blown glass globes make up the computer-operated light fixture that can be programmed for mood and movement. 📷 Merton Wu/Courtesy of Alexander Zilberman

The outcome is a space of two parts. On one side, there’s an “outer display area which is about presenting the cars, which rotate, from time to time,” says Zilberman. On the other side, there’s an area with the feel of a library, “the drawing room,” where potential purchasers can sit down with a sales associate and configure a car. European walnut was used, adding to the sense of sophisticated luxury.

Note should also be made of the “chandelier.” Consisting of 3000 hand-blown glass globes, this computer-backed light fixture enables the car area to be programmed for mood and movement. “It makes the cars feel like they’re in their natural environment,” says Zilberman.

📷 Courtesy of Aston Martin

📷 Merton Wu/Courtesy of Alexander Zilberman

So, is it just a hyper-luxury environment for the super-wealthy? Aston Martin Park Avenue is more than that. It is certainly exclusive, but it’s also quietly opulent. Oh yes, and entry is by invitation only, naturally.

PHOTO GALLERY (8 IMAGES)
📷 Aston Martin | Merton Wu/Courtesy of Alexander Zilberman

John Ryan

John Ryan is a journalist covering the retail sector, a role he has fulfilled for more than a decade. As well as being the European Editor of VMSD magazine, he writes for a broad range of publications in the U.K., the U.S. and Germany with a focus on in-store marketing, display and layout, as well as the business of store architecture and design. In a previous life, he was a buyer for C&A, based in London and then Düsseldorf, Germany. He lives and works in London.