Piuarch designs the first Les Hommes boutique in Milan.

Piuarch designs the first Les Hommes boutique in Milan.

📅06 Marzo 2015, 11:42
TESTO ITALIANO

The elegant boutique of the Belgian duo inaugurated in the neighbourhood of Porta Nuova.

Les Hommes chose the area of Porta Nuova – which merges with the famous shopping area of Corso Como – to inaugurate its very first flagship store in Milan.

The Belgian brand entrusted the project design for its boutique to Piuarch and gave them the task of transforming the values and image which distinguish its style into space, colour, geometric designs and materials.

Les Hommes entrusted the project design for its boutique to Piuarch

Les Hommes is a sophisticated trademark which stands out for the quality of its concepts, its research into materials – often contrasting rich and “poor” materials – and attention to detail. Piuarch began by analysing these features to interpret the boutique project. From its large shop window on the street, the shop opens up into a 6.5 mt high space, stretching over 100 sqm.

The structure of the building displays a number of materials: marble, champagne-coloured glass, galvanised steel and cement all blend to offer the visitor visual and tactile sensations. Simple and more precious materials are used side by side, creating an effect of structural elegance and chromatic minimalism.

Les Hommes entrusted the project design for its boutique to Piuarch

The flooring clearly highlights this feature: the port black marble laid out in a herring-bone pattern accompanies the customer through the entrance, over the exposed aggregate concrete floor to graft on to the wall in a sophisticated arch. The warm, soft gold hues of the mirrors reflect the symmetrical plasticity and rhythm of the marble triangles.

Piuarch have always considered their interpretation of “context” to be their hallmark. In this case, they have used the materials to add a third dimension to the brand style. Achieved by maintaining a constant dialogue with the designers, Tom Notte and Bart Vandebosch. The Belgian duo’s customary painstaking attention to detail is also reflected in the furnishings, arranged in flexible blocks of ice grey glass, port black marble and champagne-coloured steel. The sales area combines floor and wall space to give an innovative shopping experience.

Project and Furnishing System
Piuarch. Francesco Fresa, Germán Fuenmayor, Gino Garbellini, Monica Tricario
Structural Project FV Progetti Snc
Project plan ESA Engineering
by
AN shopfitting magazine ©

PIUARCH
Francesco Fresa, Germán Fuenmayor, Gino Garbellini and Monica Tricario formed Piuarch in 1996 willing to merge their different experiences into a shared architectural project. Seventeen years later, the team includes  today 11 associates and has become a group of more than 35 people.

The firm has completed more than 10 buildings, 60 shops around the world and features an annual revenue of about 2 million Euros. Piuarch designs public buildings, office complexes, residential buildings, retail spaces, boutiques and urban plans. After meeting with Dolce & Gabbana, a collaboration has developed for more than 10 years which lead to the construction of more than 40 boutiques worldwide, the headquarters, the multifunctional space Metropol and the factory of Incisa in Val d’Arno. Abroad, the firm is particularly active in Ukraine and Russia, where they have recently opened a branch. Projects are currently being carried out in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Sochi and Kiev.

The recently completed projects include: Quattro Corti Building in St. Petersburg, the residential complex Village in Segrate, Milan, the Headquarters for Bentini in Faenza, Porta Nuova Building in Milan and the complex with the Headquarters of Kering Group in Milan.


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