Next stop: Scalo Milano City Style

On the southern outskirts of Milan, a latest-generation shopping district is becoming a new focal point in the urban area of Locate Triulzi, on the site of a former Saiwa plant, which has since been demolished. The cream of Italy’s food, fashion and designer brands cluster together here in a contemporary-style “village” inspired by industrial architecture (especially in the skyline of the front elevation) and the vitality of city life (represented by glass, steel, colour and public spaces).
A long walkway divides the area into three main sections – design, fashion and food – encompassing about 130 shops, in the vicinity of four exhibition areas for contemporary art, giving the entire complex the feel of a pure-bred design district. The heart of the complex is a large plaza, situated on a lower level, with a strongly food-oriented feel. This same plaza is also used to host events, and is the only public space covered with a tensile membrane structure.
The “Made in Italy” label that’s the hallmark of this Milanese luxury shopping hub, also extends to the materials used in its construction, including concrete-, stone- and metal-effect ceramic floor tiles by Caesar. Caesar supplied the coverings for all the bathrooms in the complex and for four stores operated by some of the best-known Italian fashion brands worldwide. Patrizia Pepe, K-Way, Superga and Robe di Kappa opted for ceramic coverings produced by the Fiorano Modenese-based company, selecting the collections that best suited the mood and concept of each brand’s store. Ceramic is a highly versatile material in terms of the surface effects that can be incorporated into it, giving it outstanding stress-resistance in high-footfall areas. The wide range of formats and colours also gives architects plenty of scope to create floor coverings for a vast range of applications, each with their own individual feel.
For the exclusive Patrizia Pepe boutique, the architects opted for the concrete-effect ceramic collection called Gate, in the neutral colour Downtown, in a 75×75 cm square format. With its contemporary style and metropolitan flavour, the series provides an appropriately discreet match for the class and elegance of the garments on display: the coverings enhance the environment, and interact with it to create an appealing exchange of visual perspectives.
In the K-Way, Superga and Robe di Kappa stores, belonging to the Basic Group, clothing, footwear and accessories for sport and leisure are displayed against a backdrop of Elapse stone-effect ceramic coverings, in size 20×120 cm, laid in offset and herring-bone patterns. In keeping with their coordinated image, the K-way and Robe di Kappa stores chose a dark anthracite grey colour called Cave, while Superga opted for Mist.
For the mall’s bathroom facilities, Caesar supplied the Trace collection, which offers considerable scope for expression and draws inspiration from rust and the colour transitions associated with various types of metal. Two shades of colour punctuate the transitions between the different environments: the waiting area is marked by square ceramic modules in a lighter, more relaxing tone called Allumina. While in the bathrooms themselves, the Iron colour of the coverings strikes a bolder, more vibrant note.