Alberto Guardiani refurbishes Milan store with new concept

The project was designed by the studio of Andrea Fogli Stefania Tognoloni & Partners, selected from a shortlist of four Italian architectural firms.  The point of departure was to recapture the atmosphere that marked the brand's creation in the 1940s.  Furniture and spaces are inspired by masters of Art Deco architecture such as Jean Michel Frank, Andre Arbus, and Jacques Adnet, reinterpreted in a contemporary way.

The new space is restyled with a central entrance and two display windows.  The project, which involves a surface area of ??240 square meters distributed on two levels, enlarges the usable space within the boutique, which previously had been more limited.

The concept evokes the foyer of an apartment in New York, Paris, Singapore or London- welcoming and cosmopolitan, intimate and elegant.  The space is defined by:  central two-story shelves that are open on both sides, which are constructed of nautical wood that has a polyester finish; a large table lacquered in Guardiani blue; the use of carpets, ottomans, and armchairs; and especially, the presence of a fireplace and by two large lateral shelf units made of bronzed mirrors and ribbed glass that are used as exhibition space.

The key focus at the entrance, along with the shelving and the centre table, is a grand and eclectic Delightfull brass chandelier with trumpet-shaped arms.  These elements also appear as appliqués and in a second chandelier that is suspended above the cashier desk.

The furniture, inspired by Art Deco and designed by Fogli Tognoloni, was custom built by Italian craftsmen using innovative materials and shapes.  The look is eclectic and Post-modern, combining its basic functional aspect with geometric simplicity.

The selection of materials is Modernist in inspiration: from braided leather on the walls; to bronzed mirrors paired with ribbed mirrors for the exhibition spaces; to the windows; and the transition arches that define different environments.  Velvet, woven herringbone, or small retro designs adorn ottomans, chairs and walls. 

Attention has been given to detail, from the polyester-finished nautical wood used for the windows, shelving cases, and other furniture details, to the dual-colour woven coconut carpets that perfectly match the resin flooring in subtle shades of pale grey.  The Guardiani blue, a distinctive symbol of the brand, is discreetly referenced in the lacquering of the central table, in select fabrics, in the carpets, and in lamps that emit diffused light.

The ground floor contains the entire women's and men's world of the Alberto Guardiani brand, as if it were a luxurious walk-in closet in a private wardrobe, where there are also large mirror dividers.  Classic Art Deco style cabinets are paired with fabric-covered travel trunks with brass details that are left nonchalantly open and function as exhibition spaces.