The ARC’TERYX store in New York, designed by Skylab Architecture, shows that Casadenza’s thin stone veneer are used in retail architecture.

The ARC’TERYX store, which opened at New York’s Rockefeller Center in October 2025, shows the brand’s mountaineering and technical performance identity through its interior design. In the architectural approach developed by Skylab Architecture, stone is one of the elements that define the material identity of the space and guide visitor movement.

One of the starting points for the design is talus terrain, formed by fragments of rock accumulating at the foot of mountain slopes. This geological reference is incorporated through stone masses, varied surface textures, light and spatial transitions within the store. The relationship between expansive display areas and narrower, more controlled zones recalls the changing physical conditions of natural terrain.

Casadenza’s natural stone veneers used in the project differ from conventional thick stone slabs. These thin stone veneer systems transfer the natural texture of stone onto an existing substrate. This allows the design to maintain continuity across mineral surfaces without requiring solid stone in every area.

Casadenza’s Fusion collection consists of a thin surface layer of genuine natural stone bonded to a glass-fibre-reinforced polymer backing.

Depending on the material, the total thickness ranges from approximately 1.2 to 2.3 mm. The surface texture is preserved across different stone types, including slate, quartzite, limestone, sandstone and marble. Thin stone veneer can be applied to prepared concrete, plasterboard, wood-based panels, metal and existing ceramic surfaces.

Casadenza’s product range also includes Lumina, developed for light transmission, Eco Fusion with a fabric backing, and modified clay-based surfaces. However, these collections do not share the same technical specifications, and material selection must be based on the intended application.

Thin stone veneer systems depend on proper substrate preparation and the selection of suitable adhesives. Casadenza’s technical installation guidelines identify surface cleaning, preliminary positioning, cutting, bonding and joint detailing as key factors affecting material performance.

Exterior applications require additional consideration of moisture, temperature fluctuations, joints and substrate movement. Thin stone veneer cannot be regarded as a structural element or a standalone waterproofing system.

Reducing material thickness represents a significant change in the amount of natural stone used. However, determining whether this directly results in a lower environmental impact requires data covering manufacturing, the polymer backing, adhesives, service life and end-of-life processes.

At ARC’TERYX Rockefeller Center, stone is used partly as a physical mass and partly as a surface covering existing building and display elements. Achieving the same material character through different construction systems is one of the project’s defining architectural distinctions.