Piero Lissoni redesigns Luminaire's flagship showroom in Miami

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To celebrate 30 years in Coral Gables, Luminaire's Nasir and Nargis Kassamali enlisted longtime collaborator Piero Lissoni to reimagine the minimalist emporium with almost spiritual simplicity
(Image credit: TBC)

A visit to Design Miami in December has always included a stop at Luminaire Lab, the experimental gallery for cutting-edge contemporary design on NE 2nd Avenue. In time for this year's event, however, Luminaire has given us good reason to trek out to its Coral Gables flagship. The 1,400 sq m showroom and exhibition space relaunches on 1 December with an interior by Piero Lissoni and an entire wing dedicated to its new retail partner B&B Italia.

Luminaire, launched more than 40 years ago by Nasir and Nargis Kassamali, launched the 'curated boutique' concept in Florida, drawing European brands and up-and-coming designers to show their work exclusively and lecture to the public. The couple is almost entirely responsible for getting revolutionary products in the heads and the homes of Miami's New Guard and making pioneers like Marcel Wanders, Philippe Starck, Ron Arad and Ingo Maurer household names around the penthouses and poolsides of Miami.

To celebrate 30 years in Coral Gables, the Kassamalis enlisted their longtime collaborator Lissoni to open up the minimalist emporium with an almost spiritual simplicity, creating a space that's both intimate and open in the Miami vernacular. Vast tracts of overhead glazing bring introduce shafts of light and shadow, which interact spectacularly throughout the interior design.

Luminaire will be the sole official source for B&B Italia in the southeastern United States, so the brand gets a 650 sq m slice of the ground floor here - all the better to promote its expansion into the US market. The showroom will carry several exclusive pieces, including the new boiserie-effect 'Backstage' wardrobe system by Antonio Citterio.

The 1,400 sq m concept boutique hosts a curated selection of European brands as well as up-and-coming designers

The 1,400 sq m concept boutique hosts a curated selection of European brands as well as up-and-coming designers

(Image credit: TBC)

Luminaire will be the sole official source for B&B Italia in the southeastern United States, so the brand gets a 650 sq m slice of the ground floor

Luminaire will be the sole official source for B&B Italia in the southeastern United States, so the brand gets a 650 sq m slice of the ground floor

(Image credit: TBC)

Luminaire will be the sole official source for B&B Italia in the southeastern United States, so the brand gets a 650 sq m slice of the ground floor

Luminaire will be the sole official source for B&B Italia in the southeastern United States, so the brand gets a 650 sq m slice of the ground floor

(Image credit: TBC)

Naoto Fukasawa's 'Piccola Papilio' (left) and 'Grande Papilio' armchairs, and 'Awa' table, for B&B Italia

Naoto Fukasawa's 'Piccola Papilio' (left) and 'Grande Papilio' armchairs, and 'Awa' table, for B&B Italia

(Image credit: TBC)

'Terminal 1' chaise longue, by Jean Marie-Massaud, for B&B Italia

'Terminal 1' chaise longue, by Jean Marie-Massaud, for B&B Italia

(Image credit: TBC)

The showroom will carry several exclusive pieces, including the new boiserie-effect 'Backstage' wardrobe system by Antonio Citterio

The showroom will carry several exclusive pieces, including the new boiserie-effect 'Backstage' wardrobe system by Antonio Citterio

(Image credit: TBC)

Lissoni has created a space that's both intimate and open in the Miami vernacular

Lissoni has created a space that's both intimate and open in the Miami vernacular

(Image credit: TBC)

ADDRESS

Luminaire Coral Gables
2331 Ponce de Leon Boulevard
Coral Gables FL 33134

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Ellen Himelfarb

Based in London, Ellen Himelfarb travels widely for her reports on architecture and design. Her words appear in The Times, The Telegraph, The World of Interiors, and The Globe and Mail in her native Canada. She has worked with Wallpaper* since 2006.