Both geographically and culturally, Piazza della Scala has long been the symbolic centre of Milan. Around its perimeter stand some of the city's defining landmarks: the Teatro alla Scala opera house; Palazzo Marino, the imposing Mannerist seat of city government; and the 19th-century, glass-vaulted shopping arcade Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Now, another institution has taken up residence. The recently opened Poliform flagship occupies a 19th-century palazzo that once housed a grand hotel frequented by the opera singers and ballerinas performing across the street.
The move from the brand's longtime showroom in Piazza Cavour was, according to CEO Marco Spinelli, both symbolic and strategic. ‘We wanted to dive even deeper into Milan's pulsating heart,' he says. ‘It's a place that reflects the city's art and culture.'
The 1,500 sq m flagship marks one of the first major initiatives overseen by Spinelli, a second-generation member of the founding family, who was appointed CEO this year. The company was set up in Brianza in 1970 by Alberto Spinelli, Aldo Spinelli and Giovanni Anzani, and remains deeply tied to the region's manufacturing tradition. Yet the new flagship signals a broader ambition: positioning Poliform not simply as a furniture company, but as a lifestyle brand rooted in architecture, hospitality and contemporary culture.
Poliform in Milan: blending past and future
To lead the renovation, Spinelli turned to architect Stefano Belingardi Clusoni, whose practice spans private residences, hospitality projects and commercial buildings. ‘He's from Milan, so he represents our city, but he also has a forward-thinking view of architecture, just like us,' says Spinelli. ‘We never dwell on the past or simply cherish our heritage and traditions – we always blend them with an eye to the future.'
We never dwell on the past or simply cherish our heritage and traditions – we always blend them with an eye to the future
Marco Spinelli, CEO Poliform
Working within such a historically charged building, Belingardi Clusoni's challenge was to create a dialogue between the palazzo's layered past and Poliform's contemporary identity. ‘The idea was to open up the space completely,' he says of the concept, which is defined by a restrained palette of natural stone, light oak, glass and mirrored steel.
His ambition was to create what he describes as an urban villa. ‘Stepping inside is like entering a private home,' he says of the showroom, where ceilings wrapped in warm wooden boiserie are paired with softly muted walls and floors, allowing the richness of the materials and furniture compositions to come to the fore. Throughout the space, mirrored steel inserts and minimalist vitrines catch and reflect the light from the piazza outside. ‘We created a large open-plan area to ensure continuity with the city – almost as if it were entering the space itself.'
‘We wanted to dive even deeper into Milan's pulsating heart. It's a place that reflects the city's art and culture'
Marco Spinelli, CEO Poliform
Constructed as a private residence in 1876, the building has passed through several incarnations. After years as a hotel, it later became a clothing store, with much of the original architecture stripped away, save for a series of cast-iron columns that still run through the ground floor. Belingardi Clusoni responded by introducing a sculptural circular staircase that coils through the three levels like a spine.
‘It's a transitional element that allows you to discover different atmospheres,' he says. The uppermost floor is dedicated to bedrooms and kitchens, the latter taking on particular resonance during this year's Salone del Mobile, when the biannual EuroCucina fair returned to Milan. Here, kitchens are conceived less as functional workspaces than as social environments. ‘They are for socialising and connecting with the outside world,' says Belingardi Clusoni.
Spinelli, meanwhile, conceived the new flagship itself as a point of connection – even for those who may never purchase a Poliform sofa or kitchen. ‘It represents a new approach to hospitality for the brand,' he says. On the ground floor, a street-facing café and bistro overseen by chef Michele De Liguoro, owner of much-loved Milanese restaurant Rovello 18, is intended to draw new audiences into the Poliform world through food, conviviality and cultural programming. ‘It's part of a broader communication strategy: we want Poliform to become increasingly global, creating a community of people who can experience the brand.'
Piazza della Scala, 5, 20121 Milan
