Fabio Ferrillo – founder of Milan-based architecture studio OFF Arch – takes on a new challenge and lands in Hanoi, Vietnam, with the realization of Runway concept store. The driving idea was to create a space where the colors and shapes of the luxuriant Vietnamese vegetation could combine with the essential lines of the masters of ‘50s Italian design: Franco Albini, Osvaldo Borsani, Carlo Scarpa.
The Central Building, the venue hosting the store, represents a significant center and is well frequented by diplomats and demanding clients seeking the most exclusive fashion pieces. A sumptuous canopy, reminiscent of the hotel entrances of Côte d’Azur, invites customers to enter a unique, contemporary store full of light – just as the commercial spaces of the international capitals.
The Venetian terrazzo floor is enclosed in vertical partitions where to admire extraordinary patterns recalling details of the most esteemed Italian stones, like Navona travertine or ceppo di Gré. Inside, large glass displays composed of mirrored surfaces of polished steel and lacquers in pastel shades enhance the fashion collections, making the garments visible and appealing. The areas are marked by irregular fields of soft, natural fiber carpets in contrast with the precious French herringbone parquet in natural oak.
The climax is represented by the monumental staircase of beige Hauteville stone from Southern France: huge stone slab as steps expand the sales floor area, accompanying clients onto the second floor of the store on a journey through a unique luxury shopping experience.
