“Porro is a company that has always tried to overcome its limits by moving, each time, with a different creative spectrum,” says designer Piero Lissoni, art director of Porro and the man behind a new space for the Italian design brand in Milan. After nearly 20 years on via Durini, Porro decided to shake things up, moving to a new, unexpected, distinctly architectural space on via Visconti di Modrone to develop a full immersion in Porro ideals.
In the ample daylight streaming through the windows sit the Inlay chest of drawers, Materic Ovale table, Voyage chairs, Ex-Libris glass cabinet, and, behind the palm, Linea cupboards. The objects are by Michele di Ciommo, Michela Cattai, and Antonia Jannone.
Located between a secluded pedestrian street and a bustling thoroughfare, the showroom’s high ceilings and spaces across multiple levels allow the brand to implement its kitchen, bath, office, and living systems in architectural applications. Large industrial windows frame the showroom, where Porro creates complete, architectural and structured spaces using their shelves, cabinets, and storage systems, and furniture from dining tables to beds.
The Byron bed and bedside table, Storage closet, Boutique Mast walk-in closet, and Inlay chest of drawers form a “bedroom” within the Porro Milan showroom. Above, white parapet offers sightlines and allows dialogue between the showroom levels.
Piero simplified the showroom into a white box with the giant windows offering vistas out onto the city life and Porro’s designs adding dimension to the space. Across two floors, the staircase becomes a focal point of the space, with steps floating against a backlight stairwell. A white metal parapet lines the upstairs and allows dialogue between levels.
A living space comprises of the Kite sofa and armchairs, Ferro table, Modern wall composition, and custom lamps by Piero Lissoni. Objects designed by Michela Cattai and Antonia Jannone add style.
Although a little too polished and precise to feel like an actual home, in every other way the showroom creates a complete picture of what life with Porro can be. Maria Porro, head of marketing and communications, describes the space as “A true full immersion in Porro design, but also a meeting point with architects to develop new tailor-made projects together.” Complex, tailored systems give the spaces original and complete solutions for organization and style, creating conversation and drawing connections between Porro’s collections by some of the most coveted names in design through their exacting geometry, technological precision, and gorgeous finishes and materials.
The staircase, central in the showroom, becomes a focal point in the space.
“Porro Milano wants to be a very special place, where you can linger letting yourself be guided by suggestions, and each thing has its own unique story and is chosen with love as Porro furniture is: a space that lives in continuous transformation,” Maria says.
The Flos Snoopy Lamp sits atop Porro’s Modern + Load-It home-working station accompanied by the Romby chair. A sculpture from Archivio Alessandro Mendini draws the eye down the hall.
Accordingly, the Porro pieces are accompanied throughout the showroom with objects from Milanese designers and artisans that reflect and amplify Porro’s values of craftsmanship and purity of form. The accentuating designs include Golran carpets; Flos lamps; pictures, paintings, and ceramics by the Antonia Jannone gallery; sculptures from Archivio Alessandro Mendini; and Bruno Munari’s ancestor faces by Corraini Edizioni.
The Storage corner dressing room, outfitted with glass compartments and
others closed by the new Portrait doors in rope-colored fabric, truly shows off the customization capabilities of the Porro collection.
Furthermore, original clothes and stage costumes from the workshop SlowCostume and hats designed by the artisan Francesco Ballestrazzi fill the wardrobes. Bookcases and furniture are styled with blown Murano glass by Michela Cattai, wooden houses by Matteo di Ciommo, and art, design, and photography books by Skira.
Books from Skira line the System bookshelf, while glass works from Antonia Jannone sit atop the Ryoba table, surrounded by Pioggia chairs.
The showroom opened the doors on its pristine new design on October 6, but many got a first look at the space in progress when the brand showcased its contemporary history with an immersive three-color installation by Sfelab during Fuorisalone this year.
Objects designed by Michela Cattai and Antonia Jannone add style and connection to the shelves of the Ex-Libris glass cabinets.
Ex-Libris glass cabinets help add structure to the showroom.
“After almost 20 years in via Durini, once again we have changed the rule, deciding to move to a completely unexpected place, very visible and with a particularly special architecture,” Piero says.
