new driade showroom in milan by david chipperfield architects

new driade showroom in milan by david chipperfield architects
all images of the showroom by santi caleca unless otherwise specified

today, driade presented its first joint project with the company’s new art director architect david chipperfield – the opening of the new showroom in via borgogna 8 in milan. the new exhibition space of approximately 500 square metres spreads across three floors, and includes an outdoor terrace.

the showroom stands to represent the italian company’s identity, serving as both a shop and a gallery. the diversity and depth of driade’s collection will be displayed through a series of expositions presenting a selection of curated objects and a series of furnishings, from the brand’s most iconic pieces to the latest designs. the first exhibition in the gallery – driade, early years 1968-1982 – focuses on the initial vision of driade’s founders enrico, antonia and adelaide astori, and the designers around them. it is a valuable moment to reflect on the past at the point of a new beginning for the company.

the showroom features a mezzanine which offers views onto the lower levels

the collaboration will see the renowned british architect heading firm’s creative processes, including conceiving, developing and implementing the driade vision and focus; as well as being involved in making major decisions related to the development of the brand’s values and activities.

‘design is in a sort of strange moment because it’s become very interwoven with consumerism…’ – david chipperfield. listen more to what driade’s new art director has to say about his role and vision for the company moving forward into the future:

the new showroom is a blank canvas, putting the presentation of driade products at the heart of its focus

driade was founded in 1968 by enrico astori, antonia astori and adelaide acerbi. the aim was to introduce a degree of experimentation in the world of industrial mass production, with meticulous research and a big focus on creativity. the company, based in fossadello near piacenza, produced many of the iconic pieces which form an important part of italian design history. the story of driade goes hand in hand with that of the great names who have worked with the company and helped to write many chapters in the history of design. in the 1970s, driade began a long-lasting partnership with some of italy’s leading designers, including antonia astori, enzo mari and alessandro mendini. it then went on to work with countless internationally renowned figures such as philippe starck, oscar tusquets, tokujin yoshioka, borek sipek, ron arad, patricia urquiola and fabio novembre, to name only a few.

entrance of the driade showroom

in 2012 driade closed the doors of its prestigious showroom on via manzoni with debts of €1.7 million at a time when the italian design industry saw many of its small, family-owned companies struggling to compete on the market. driade, like others, had been investing mainly in artistic development and production innovation, and too little into marketing their products on a global scale.

the first exhibition in the new showroom has been curated by candida zanelli studio

in 2013, driade was taken over by italian creation group, an italian industrial holding company that buys and increases the pace of growth in small and medium-sized enterprises that are known for their exceptional italian creativity. giovanni perissinotto and stefano core, the founders of italian creation group, are now the president and CEO of driade respectively, while enrico astori is the honorary president.

in the showroom the product set-up of the opening exhibition has been curated by candida zanelli studio. on the mezzanine, an exhibition, the ‘early years’, shows iconic furniture pieces produced by driade from 1968 to 1982, curated by marco romanelli. the following images show furniture pieces, designed by enzo mari, are part of the presentation.