Nendo designs a showroom for Marsotto in Milan, dedicated to the company’s marble collections
Veneto-based company Marsotto has taken advantage of Milano Design City to open a new showroom in Milan. Located on Largo Treves, in the heart of the Brera district, the entrance of the showroom is on ground level, where there is also a small technical area, while the basement hosts a large display area. Designed by Japanese studio Nendo, this space is entirely dedicated to marble, as Marsotto is among Italy’s leading companies in this sector. Marble immediately appears at the entrance, where a double perforated wall leads to the staircase leading to the lower floor.
The basement pays homage to the brightness and whiteness of marble. The typical vaults on the basement ceiling provide the perfect setting for the small “stages” housing the objects designed by various international designers. On this floor, everything is made of marble: in addition to the objects, also the platforms on which they rest are in marble.
A room inspired by a hammam accommodates marble samples, which come out of the walls like small tiles and can be freely extracted. Below the samples, on a step, are several stools displaying different surface finishes.
The thousand faces of marble
The showroom continues with a reception area, where a large kitchen with folding marble doors offers other possibilities to see the different uses of the same material, while serving as a real kitchen, for business meetings and breaks.
The pieces on show – furnishings and artworks – belong to Marsotto, Marsotto Edizioni, and Marsotto Art collections. Perhaps also for this reason the atmosphere of the space is more reminiscent of an art gallery than a furniture showroom. This may also result from the hybrid nature of the material, which has always been used in architecture and sculpture.
Last but not least, marble perfectly integrates with the façade of the building hosting Marsotto showroom in Milan, a historical palace on Largo Treves, a historical square in the heart of the Brera district.
