The architectural and retail design studio El Departamento completes in Milan the first international flagship store for the Spanish streetwear brand Nude Project. Covering 98 sqm, the space draws from the architectural language of traditional Italian buildings, translating it into a contemporary retail environment. The project marks a key step in the brand’s international expansion and consolidates the collaboration between the studio and Nude Project.
Located along one of Milan’s primary commercial axes, at Porta Ticinese 64, the store occupies a historic gateway reinterpreted as a contemporary retail space. The project continues the collaboration between El Departamento and Nude Project, following previous retail developments in Spain and the design of the brand’s headquarters in Barcelona.
The concept: interpreting the Italian palazzo
The design addresses the relationship between brand identity and urban context. The concept, defined as “Il Palazzo”, translates elements of traditional Italian domestic architecture into a structured retail system. Seven design elements organize the spatial experience, balancing heritage references with contemporary retail language.
Seven design elements structuring the retail space
The first element, “Il Tappeto”, defines the most representative area of the store, dedicated to premium collections and fitting rooms. A custom carpet references the domestic interiors of Milanese bourgeois residences.
“Il Tavolo e la Fontana” introduces a central device within the exhibition area: a fountain that contributes to the sensory dimension of the space, surrounded by a continuous display table.
With “Il Lampadario”, the project reinterprets decorative lighting typical of northern Italian buildings through custom-designed fixtures integrating the brand identity.
“Il Cassettone” becomes a key architectural feature: a reinterpreted coffered ceiling created through a suspended plasterboard grid, enhanced by backlighting to emphasize depth.
The “Lo Specchio” area redefines the role of large mirrors found in Italian palaces through velvet-framed reflective surfaces, integrated with controlled lighting.
“Il Tessuto” introduces a material layer through large symmetrical curtains, over three meters high, concealing the fitting rooms and referencing traditional noble fabrics.
Finally, “Il Giardinetto” incorporates a natural element through stainless steel planters, evoking the gardens of historic Italian residences.
Retail identity and architectural context
With this project, El Departamento establishes a balance between architectural memory and contemporary retail design. The flagship store becomes a spatial narrative in which historical references and design devices contribute to a coherent and recognizable brand environment.
Location: Porta Ticinese 64, Milan
Area: 98 sqm
Architecture & Interior Design: El Departamento, Alberto Eltini & Marina Martín
Photo credit: Miguel Fernández-Galiano