Milano, Via Borgogna 2

“For smoky towns with narrow streets, façades illuminated by the sun... because the façades are the walls of the streets, and streets are what the city consists of, its visible part, what the city can be seen to be.” Gio Ponti. More than a showroom, this is a hymn to the city of Milan, and as with Milan itself, the more you walk around it, the more you find hidden corners, concealed courtyards and wonders no-one could fail to love. This concept of celebrating the city led to the creation of a skyline, on a human scale, with the façades of buildings reinterpreted in ceramics, with Milan’s keynote features snapped unawares by the photographer - the reflection of the cathedral, an old tram - instead of shop windows. The floor consists of a succession of finishes and materials in an intentionally irregular alternation, designed so that the visitor is invited to choose his own path. He may explore the garden hidden behind the display window or read a magazine sitting at the little table in the light of the sun, an enormous sphere that bathes both the perspectives and the visitor in its soft light; he may also peep into the windows in the ventilated curtain wall, or climb up to the loft floor. The lower floor is more intimate and domestic. It contains 4 bathrooms, in each of which the visitor can feel at home. On Via Borgogna we set out to create a slice of the Milan that we all know and love, but that we often take for granted; as ceramics are so versatile, they gave us the perfect opportunity to do this and the vast range of Marazzi products and Marazzi Engineering construction systems provided us with the right solution for every requirement. Gianluca Rossi. Uainot srl

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