Italian settings

«Creating a showroom that tells of a deep connection with Italy through multiple settings belonging to a single narrative» is how Giulia Mazzer from Studio Mazzer Architects begins her account of the project for the Snaidero showroom in New York. Distributed over an area of 500 square metres, the Manhattan flagship store recreates domestic spaces, meticulously designing each individual room in terms of spatial composition, sophisticated use of materials and choice of specific finishes to create an elegant atmosphere where visitors can feel truly at home.
Although arranged sequentially, each showroom display has its own identity and adopts an independent architectural language while ensuring overall spatial and stylistic coherence. «The kitchen compositions alternate in an open space, where the different displays are clearly defined but interconnected. The bathroom area is delineated by a tunnel of satin-finish brass beams, which we rediscover suspended above the kitchen islands. The view of the meeting room is screened by laminated glass windows with brass-plated mesh made by Henry Glass,» explains the architect.
In order to translate the design philosophy into concrete forms and living spaces, it was essential to study materials and colours and thereby propose elegant, refined spaces that at the same time convey the value of craftsmanship and painstaking care typical of residential projects. Giulia Mazzer offered a detailed explanation of her specific choices of materials: «The terrazzo-style ceramic tiles used with evident linguistic rigour create an initial layer that defines and unifies the rooms; the satin-finished brass used for both the beams and the mesh of the layered glass creates sophisticated interplays of texture. The materials are used and combined sartorially in their perfect coherency of colours and fine finishes.»
The unifying thread running through the entire project and connecting the floors and walls in the various areas of the showroom is the use of terrazzo-style porcelain tiles, which were chosen for their technical characteristics and their suitability for use in a high-traffic space, but above all for their reference to prestigious historical Italian architecture. «We chose the Le Veneziane collection from Florim’s Cerim brand for its reinterpretation of terrazzo, the flooring used in historic Venetian villas, and in particular for its grain and colour combinations. We found the San Polo finish to be the perfect neutral, sophisticated colour to unite the materials used in the various displays,» concludes Giulia Mazzer.