dsm-firmenich opens 44,000-sq-ft Fine Fragrance flagship in Chelsea, New York

New flagship in Chelsea

dsm-firmenich opened a 44,000-square-foot Fine Fragrance flagship at 641 Avenue of the Americas in Chelsea, New York. The space consolidates perfumers, fragrance development teams, application, digital and compounding capabilities and is home to around 100 employees, including nine Fine Fragrance perfumers, to foster collaboration with clients and creative partners.

Laboratory and capabilities

At the heart of the site is a purpose-built laboratory meeting the company’s global standards, featuring advanced automation and robotics. The lab includes Cerberus, a custom-built compounding robot capable of handling up to 456 raw materials, and incorporates energy-efficient systems, Green Lab practices, waste reduction measures and smart workstations focused on efficiency, precision, safety and employee well‑being.

OPEN AIR cultural programme

The opening also launches OPEN AIR: Artists in Resonance, a cultural platform that pairs dsm-firmenich perfumers with voices from New York’s cultural landscape—such as DJs, chefs, tattoo artists, designers, the voguing community and organisations including Housing Works and Brooklyn Grange—to interpret collaborations through scent and present results via fragrance, film, photography, recordings and physical artifacts.

Site and design

Housed in a landmark building that was once a luxury department store and introduced New York City’s first escalator, the Chelsea location is designed as a multidimensional creative environment with collaborative spaces, outdoor terraces and a rooftop garden overlooking Manhattan.