Marazzi designs Milan showroom as cupboard of curiosity
Dezeen promotion: Italian ceramics producer Marazzi has opened a brand new showroom in Milan, which architects Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel have made to resemble a collector’s library.
The Marazzi showroom is located on the coronary heart of town’s Durini design district. It has been designed by Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel, who collectively run Milan-based structure apply ACPV, to showcase the model’s vary of extra-large stone slabs.
Fairly than creating a standard retailer format, the pair as a substitute took observe from wunderkammers or, in English, cupboards of curiosity – a chunk of furnishings or room devoted to displaying a notable collections of objects.
The cupboards of curiosity first appeared in properties of the rich throughout the 16th century and will embrace all the things from archaeological relics to favoured artworks and antiquities.
“There is a sort of magic in Marazzi’s product design and growth – expertise and creativity rework a generic and inert uncooked materials into surfaces that evoke historic workmanship,” defined Viel.
“To evoke this alchemy, the showroom challenge turns into a collector’s library, a wunderkammer of colors and supplies, a rug souk and a maze of rooms that kind a relentless visible sequence, but are every totally different and shocking.”
Merchandise have been displayed artefact-style all through the 400 square-metre retail house. In a single room, tall stone slabs have been suspended from tracks on the ceiling “like wealthy Persian carpets”.
Arched doorways result in the showroom’s corridors, the place smaller slabs of stone are dotted alongside rows of shelving. Whereas some are illuminated by quick lamps, akin to things in a museum, others have been positioned beside uncommon objet d’artwork, including to the wunderkammer aesthetic.
“This show method is totally new and authentic for the ceramics world,” added the corporate’s CEO, Mauro Vandini.
“We consider it can provide a clearer understanding of the way in which our design and growth work and ceramic supplies are regularly evolving.”
On the time of its opening, the entrance of the showroom displayed a bed room and toilet set-up the place partitions, flooring and fixtures like sink basins have been clad in white-flecked tiles by Marazzi.
Items used to decorate the house embrace a diamond-patterned rattan rug, a curved orange armchair and a placing emerald-green bathtub.
Marazzi was based in 1935 within the Italian city of Sassuolo, however has since gone on to function in over 140 nations.
The producer has beforehand produced a spread of stone flooring that can be utilized in each indoor and outside areas, which boasts ornate patterns impressed by conventional Indian henna tattoo designs.
To search out out extra about Marazzi, go to its web site.