The scheme presented is FPA’s competition winning entry developed in collaboration with DDA and ZpStudio for Italian fashion brand Allegri.
Specialising in rainwear couture and with a strong environmental agenda, the brand was seeking ideas to redevelop their Milanese flagship store and their new outlets.
Our response was to create a design that could provide a changing environment and a space that could satisfy multiple purposes at different times of the day and in tune with the seasons of fashion.
The rain shop offers the opportunity to explore the significance of the boundary between exterior and interior and the boutique space becomes, quite literally, the extension of the street.
The space is totally enveloped by a bespoke computer controlled LED shroud that acts as a screen onto which the weather forecast of significant locations is registered via a linked meteo station: the result is a constantly changing scenery that can vary from a turbulent cloudy sky of certain northern European countries, to the deep warm sunsets of the Mediterranean coastline.
The shroud folds into a continuous and undulating display shelf that runs around the entire perimeter of the store, symbolizing the horizon and creating a clear demarcation between the sky and the box in which it is contained.
Modular bespoke tarmac tiles, arranged in a random fashion, recall the pavements found in many Italian public streets.
Objects are designed to serve multiple purposes: fold-down glass cabinets are used to display fashion garments as well as artworks at times when the boutique doubles as a gallery, and the cashier counter is used as a bar for promotional occasions or special events during the fashion weeks.
The space is also intended to be used for performances and fashion shows.
Allegri
Milan, Italy
120 sqm
The proposal breaks up the requirements of the programme into a series of separate primary spaces that can be interconnected, to generate a variety of secondary configurations.
Coniston, Lake District, UK