Amid Manhattan’s most luxurious and exclusive shops and galleries, Portantina stands out. At only twelve feet wide, its stone facade asserts a monumental presence on the street, framing the shop’s Venetian wares while pushing the ornate clutter of its neighbors aside in order to create an entrance.

The plan, inspired by Venice's palazzi and their passages from the street to shimmering waters, is a telescoping quadrilateral whose slight distortion creates the illusion of a space much longer and larger than its actual dimensions. Space along the sides provides display and storage areas, as well as depth for such theatrical devices as stairs leading nowhere that suggest another level. Silk lines the doorframes; wainscoting stone runs the length of the walls; leather mannequins dot the space; while moiré textiles, silver leaf, and burlap combine to give textural dimension. Craft and mystery blend to suggest hidden delights and invite discovery.