A dialogue between craftsmanship and contemporary design

In the heart of Brera – one of Milan’s most layered and emblematic districts – the new Officine Creative flagship store takes shape, marking the beginning of a collaboration with interior designer Fabio Santambrogio. Located at Via Cusani 7, the space becomes a narrative device capable of translating the brand’s values into a coherent architectural language, deeply rooted in Milan’s urban context. The project stems from a careful reading of the city and its historical architecture. Santambrogio constructs a system of refined and measured references, ranging from Ca’ Brutta by Giovanni Muzio to the monumental volumes of Stazione Centrale, as well as more modest yet emblematic buildings within the urban fabric, such as those in Piazza Mirabello. Squared arches, portals, compact surfaces, and stone materials become generative elements of a space that engages with Milan without resorting to literal quotations.

A central feature of the project is the reinterpretation of traditional Milanese shutters, transformed into scenic backdrops in grooved steel. This gesture re-reads tradition through an industrial and contemporary lens, restoring depth and rhythm to the interior space. The theme of the arch returns as a compositional matrix, also echoed in the Officine Creative logo, where the initial “O” becomes both form and structure.

The entrance is marked by a backlit arched portal – a true perceptual filter that introduces visitors to the brand’s universe. The integrated LED wall hosts video content developed in collaboration with Art Director Scott Emerson, reinforcing the immersive and narrative dimension of the flagship store.

The storefront dissolves into continuity with the interior, transforming into an exhibition space visible from the outside. Conceived as a temporary and ever-evolving platform, it hosts installations and projects developed in dialogue with young artists, placing manual craftsmanship and the brand’s identity materials – first and foremost leather – at the forefront.

Great attention is devoted to materiality, understood not only as a finish but as a bearer of memory. The 15×15 cm tile flooring, inspired by the 1960s, is made from reclaimed materials salvaged from the debris of the 2016 earthquake in the Marche region, establishing a direct connection with the brand’s geographical and emotional origins. Matte burl wood, brushed raw aluminum, and grey-green natural lime plaster compose a restrained and coherent palette.

The display furnishings, deliberately left semi-finished, incorporate artisanal details such as fused glass with embedded metal mesh, raw granite shelves, and lightweight concrete tables, reinforcing the identity of a sophisticated “workshop” poised between experimentation and formal control.

CREDITS
Project: Officine Creative Flagship Store
Designer: Fabio Santambrogio
Location: Milan, Italy
Year: 2024
Photography: Fabio Santambrogio