The Milan-based firm Park Associati has developed a new concept for Coop Lombardia, defining a new business model that designs the supermarket not just as a place of sale, but as a space for social interaction, knowledge exchange, and a true community hub. This is a cross-disciplinary project addressing architectural, commercial, and social themes, linked to the brand’s values and its physical representation.
Park Associati has crafted a concept that outlines a new functional and formal model for the sales program, which it calls Civic Retail. Every design decision is carefully integrated into the context and the community it serves, aiming to activate osmotic processes that foster civic awareness.
The Coop concept involves carving out corners of the building at the locations of the entrances, a subtraction of volume that creates a greater degree of porosity and openness towards the outside. The building’s roof, characterized by the presence of shed panels, allows natural light to enter the sales area. The volume has been divided between a lower order and an upper order, with a cantilever at the entrance, which accentuates the sculptural gesture of carving out the corners.
The Cesate supermarket is the first Coop project completed by the end of 2023. The intervention extends beyond the architectural aspect to the design of the external open space: the pedestrian edge is expanded to accommodate meeting areas for the community, waiting areas, and play spaces for children. Vegetation is incorporated as a complementary backdrop to the surrounding context. Other supermarkets are in the planning and construction phases.
For more information, please visit www.parkassociati.com.
CREDITS
Project: Coop Lombardia
Viz: Park Associati
Photo Credits: Nicola Colella
