David Chipperfield

Valentino Flagship Store . Rome

David Chipperfield . photos: © Santi Caleca . © Valentino

The new Rome Flagship Store is situated on Piazza di Spagna, in the former American Express building. It is next to the Palazzo Gabrielli-Mignanelli (1575), which historically has been the creative nerve center and principal headquarters of Valentino Maison.

The 1,470 square meter Flagship marks an important step in the development of Valentino’s worldwide retail network expansion and it continues the innovative Store Concept developed by David Chipperfield Architects together with Valentino Creative Directors, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli.
The concept combines old and new, generating a palazzo atmosphere, avoiding a pure showroom, promoting a new retail format. Besides, essential elements of the Store Concept, previously applied in other Valentino Boutiques, such as the Via Montenapoleone Flagship in Milan (2012) and the Valentino Man Store Paris (2013) the Rome Store also incorporates new design developments.
The new format is designed to complement the retail on display, with simple forms that make use of a range of opulent materials – grey Venetian terrazzo with Carrara chippings, timber, marble, leather, carpet and carbon fiber – allowing the visitor to focus on the collections whilst evoking a sense of intimacy.
It features a grand entrance atrium, 6-meters in height, with marble columns and terrazzo walls creating a monumental space. Two main staircases, equally made of marble connect the entrance atrium to the different store levels and appear as excavated spaces.
At ground level, the by-now traditional Woman Store Concept is adhered to: an enfilade of rooms, each with different characteristics. This not only separates the different types of merchandise, but also offers distinct atmospheres generated by a custom palette of colors, textures, and lights. At first level, a completely New Woman Store Concept is presented, defined as a continuous sequence of polished white arches, reminiscent of traditional gallerias. The Man Store Concept on ground, first and second levels, features terrazzo walls and palladiana floors throughout. The collection is displayed on suspended elements and oak shelving, supported by polished brass fixtures around the perimeter.
The Piazza di Spagna Boutique offers a unique experience, serving both male and female customers in a single location.

Date: 2014-2015 Gross floor area: 1,470 m² Client: Valentino Italy Architect: David Chipperfield Architects Milan Director: Giuseppe Zampieri Associate Director: Giuseppe Sirica Project architects: Marie Mincke, Federica Zerbo Structural engineer: Sic-Consulting (Breno), Scl Ingegneria Strutturale (Milan) Special services contractor: Gruppo Sintesi Façade restoration contractor: Assago Surveyor: Milano Rilievi Site supervisor: Polis, Studio 3 Architetti Associati General contractor and millworker: Sice Previt