COS x snarkitecture turn milan's spazio erbe into a cavernous fabric retreat

COS x snarkitecture turn milan’s spazio erbe into a cavernous fabric retreat
image © designboom

during milan design week, in the brera district’s spazio erbe, COS have collaborated with daniel arsham and alex mustonen of snarkitecture to create a cavernous retreat, comprising thousands of paper thin fabric sheets hanging at various lengths from the ceiling. the ethereal installation reflects the fashion brand’s DNA — an appreciation of clean lines, transparency and the transformation of the everyday — allowing visitors to engage within a luminescent and reflective cave that transports them to an intimate chamber outside of the bustling city center.

COS heads of design, karin gustafsson and martin andersson commissioned the brooklyn-based duo to apply their thematic symbiosis between art and architecture with their own fashion aesthetic. drawing from the technical lightness and luminescence of the COS spring summer 15′ collection, arsham and mustonen transform the space through the methodical layering of white fabric that hangs from the ceiling to the floor. as sunlight passes through surrounding windows, various shadows interplay between the strips, each becoming varied in their opacity. visitors are encouraged to explore and interact within the billowing fabric expanse, traveling through narrow corridors until an intimate showroom space is revealed, where wearables from the collection are found alongside accessories and shoes.

a luminescent and reflective cave surrounds visitors as they enter spazio erbe

‘after meeting with karin and martin and looking at the new COS collection, we knew we wanted to create a revelatory experience that played with shifting views and translucency through the use of luminous material’ arsham and mustonen explain. ‘what we came up with is an immersive environment that draws on familiar qualities of fabric and the primal nature of caverns to create a world of reflection, exploration and interaction.’

various lengths of fabric strips hang from the ceiling of the space 

fabric ‘walls’ create narrow corridors which visitors can pass through

light passing through surrounding windows creates various transparency
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white stools allow visitors the chance to sit within the space

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cave-like areas are created through the various lengths of fabric
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mirrors reflect the fabric panels, adding to the cavernous feeling of the site

thousands of strips hang from the ceiling
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lightweight fabric allows light to pass through
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at the end of the fabric path, visitors find a showroom featuring items from the COS collection
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visitors are transported away from the city center and into the ethereal cave
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portrait of daniel arsham of snarkitecture
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