The Excelsior in Milan by Jean Nouvel

Excelsior interior
The newly completed Excelsior in Milan by architect Jean Nouvel
(Image credit: TBC)

Being world-famous for creating remarkable building exteriors can sometimes be a drag for a star architect like Jean Nouvel. 'When Stefano Beraldo (CEO of Gruppo Coin) called me, he asked if I could just do the façade,' Nouvel notes of the Excelsior, his latest retail architectural project that debuted yesterday in Milan. 'I said, "No, I can't just do the façade." When I work on a building I have to create the relationship between the exterior and everything else that goes on inside.' Luckily, Beraldo saw the light. Annexing a forgotten corner of the city's grand Galleria del Corso, Nouvel has transformed a dusty old movie theatre into a 7-storey fashion, food and design emporium - his very first architectural imprint on the city of Milan.

Naturally, the façade is a stand-out feature. Razor sharp glazed aluminium slats are slightly angled to give a fiery peep show of fractured images projected from the LED screens that run along balustrades. 'I didn't want to reveal the images directly,' Nouvel insists, 'I wanted them to be temporal, as if they were sliding behind a window.'

Inside, the French architect has coated the walls of the old theatre with reflective paints that jump at the light beaming off LED screens. Each floor is disconnected from the perimeter, as if floating, and the multitude of balconies evoke the site's former theatre self.

Nouvel wasn't the only big name lured by the new retail project. Antonia Giacinti - owner of the Antonia multi-brand stores located in the city - served as a buying consultant, ensuring that cool labels such as Haider Ackermann, Proenza Schouler, Altuzarra and Isabel Marant finally found a home in Milan. Vincenzo De Cotiis coordinated the floor design, which features wood and steel fixtures as well as polished cement block displays. Finally, Davide Oldani, the hot shot chef behind D'O, served as a food consultant for the bottom two basement levels which feature take-out, bistro and restaurant services, plus a food market to rival the gloss and prices found at Peck.

A transformed dusty old movie theatre

Annexing a forgotten corner of the city's grand Galleria del Corso, Nouvel has transformed a dusty old movie theatre...

(Image credit: TBC)

7-storey fashion, food and design emporium

... into a 7-storey fashion, food and design emporium

(Image credit: TBC)

View of Excelsior from Corso Vittorio Emanuele II

View of Excelsior from Corso Vittorio Emanuele II

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior windows

The building is Nouvel's very first architectural imprint on the city of Milan

(Image credit: TBC)

Excelsior's entrance

Excelsior's glazed aluminium slats are slightly angled to give a fiery peep show of fractured images projected from the LED screens that run along balustrades

(Image credit: TBC)

emporium interior

A detailed view of the LED screens that feature throughout the emporium

(Image credit: TBC)

multitude of balconies

Each floor is also disconnected from the perimeter, as if floating, and the multitude of balconies evoke the site's former theatre self

(Image credit: TBC)

Excelsior's fashion department... 

Cool labels such as Haider Ackermann, Proenza Schouler, Altuzarra and Isabel Marant are stocked in Excelsior's fashion department... 

(Image credit: TBC)

multi-brand stores

... Thanks to Antonia Giacinti - owner of the Antonia multi-brand stores located in the city - who served as a buying consultant

(Image credit: TBC)

womenswear department

The womenswear department

(Image credit: TBC)

menswear department

The menswear department

(Image credit: TBC)

beauty department

A view of the beauty department

(Image credit: TBC)

restaurant services

Davide Oldani, the chef behind celebrated restaurant D'O, served as a food consultant for the bottom two basement levels which feature take-out, bistro and restaurant services

(Image credit: TBC)

food market

Eat's - the extensively stocked food market

(Image credit: TBC)

Bakery

The formaggeria at Eat's

(Image credit: TBC)

JJ Martin