From container to content

We wanted it to be totally integrated into the context instead of competing with the architectural simplicity of the Feltrinelli building, of which it echoes the underlying themes, i.e. scale, structure, repetition and its exact position within the urban context. The structural framework of the Feltrinelli building, the squared-off column rotated several times, and the sharp 45-degree cut, express the geometric character of the structure, as well as forming the basis for the showroom's interior.

The transparency of the building is further enhanced by its double facade: one overlooking the city, the other facing the new garden that runs along the passeggiata Pasternak. The showroom is conceived as a kaleidoscope of constantly changing transparencies, reflections and colours, depending on the viewpoint of visitors and passers-by.

The whole interior is based upon a system that we specifically designed and developed with UniFor. Formed by panels and a single 90-degree extrusion profile, it lends itself to a variety of configurations: it can be utilised as wall cladding, a freestanding screen, a movable partition or shelving. Options for panelling materials range from metal to fabric, wood to stucco, to create walls and partitions with distinct physical properties and characters.

The showroom is defined by a muscular yet simple flexibility. It does not include separate rooms, but is organised into different areas and can be remodelled as needed, becoming – from time to time – a collection of small showrooms, an event space, a private meeting room or the setting for larger public conventions.

On the flank that contemplates the city, it is the hard, reflective aluminium surfaces that dominate, whereas the tones become softer on the garden side, thanks to the use of velvets in strong primary colours. We especially find interesting the contrast between the mirror effect of the metal alongside the colour saturation of the velvet, and the way the boundaries between these two materials gradually fade away. By adding the natural warmth of wood and the tenacious solidity of the stone supports to the equation, we have crafted a stage where we can create different atmospheres, which become the ideal backdrop for presenting products and many other activities.”

“So far, we have always designed furniture – chairs and stools, tables and lamps – spontaneously, intuitively and in response to a personal need or a specific project in a specific place. This is why a geographical reference. often figures in the names of our furniture and objects. The Porta Volta Chair is an exception to this: I wanted to design a chair with armrests, because there are hardly any that I like. I wanted it to be comfortable, welcoming and commodious. Like a room to sit down in, rather than just something to sit down on. Wood of a certain width seemed a suitable starting point, because it can be bent and treated, and four planks sufficed to construct the chair and define its dimensions. The Porta Volta debuted in the Feltrinelli building we built at Porta Volta in Milan, and was first produced in large numbers for the National Library of Israel.”

—Jacques Herzog