No 21’s opulent new headquarters is an ode to Milan’s multifaceted architecture

When No 21’s Alessandro Dell'Acqua opened his first standalone store in the Omotesandō district of Tokyo, we were drawn to the boutique's striking black and white-tiled marble floors and diverse design elements. No surprise then, that we’ve taken to the brand’s new recently opened headquarters in the Porta Venezia district of Milan, an expansive overhaul undertaken by architect Hannes Peer, who designed not only No 21’s Tokyo store but also its Milan and Hong Kong outposts.
The multi-story 1500 sqm space has been conceived by Dell'Acqua and Peer as a ‘modernist palazzo’. It pays tribute to the signatures of Milanese architecture and design, spanning decades and genres. The headquarters’ all black facade and monochrome optical marble floor nod to the architectural details of No 21’s Tokyo store, and house an amalgam of aesthetic gems, including mid-century furniture by Le Corbusier, Marcel Breuer and Willy Rizzo.
The first floor showroom features black and white optical flooring, Ceppo di Grè walls and Le Corbusier seating.
Like the delightful juxtapositions that define Dell'Acqua’s design aesthetic, contrasts abound within his label's new headquarters. It’s stark exterior works in opposition to the entrance corridors; a space lined with black Marquina and Verde St Denis marble, and adorned with vintage Toni Zuccheri-designed Venini lights. Upstairs, marble and concrete flooring sit side by side in the second floor showroom, while a rough finish of the walls – completed in durable Ceppo di Grè stone – is offset against sleek stainless steel displays.
The pièce de résistance of the space is Dell'Acqua’s penthouse office, its interior design is an ode to grand scale. It features soaring 7m high ceilings, sun-streaming sky lights and a 6m oxidised brass sideboard, upon which perch inspirational books and framed fashion photographs. The designer's affection for awesome proportion evokes the mindset of one reaching sky high.
The multistorey space features contrasting design elements including grainy Ceppo di Grè stone, and sleek black and white marble
The headquarters’ opulent inner entrance is a juxtaposition to its more austere black facade
Designed as a ’modernist palazzo,’ the space features furnishings by Le Corbusier, Marcel Breuer and Willy Rizzo
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the No 21 website
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
The great American museum boom
Nine of the world’s top ten most expensive, recently announced cultural projects are in the US. What is driving this investment, and is this statistic sustainable?
-
Here’s how Heathrow is reimagining airport chaos as ambient music
Grammy-nominated Jordan Rakei turns travel noise into a meditative soundtrack by sampling everything from baggage belts to jet engines
-
Wallpaper* checks into Gansevoort Meatpacking, an art-filled hotel that mirrors the district’s glow-up
This sharp, stylish New York hotel is a fixture in its neighbourhood, where boutiques, restaurants and clubs have long since taken over spaces once occupied by slaughterhouses
-
A guide to the best fashion stores Milan has to offer
As Milan Fashion Week arrives in the city today (25 February 2025), Wallpaper* picks the must-visit Milan fashion stores – from hidden vintage hangouts to concept spaces and big-name boutiques
-
Milan Fashion Week S/S 2022: ‘Fendace' to Ferragamo
Fashion Week returns to form in the Italian home of style and design. Here is everything you need to know about Milan Fashion Week S/S 2022
-
No 21 S/S 2020 Milan Fashion Week Women's
-
No 21 A/W 2019 Milan Fashion Week Women's
-
No 21 S/S 2019 Milan Fashion Week Women's
-
No 21 S/S 2019 Milan Fashion Week Men's
-
Milan Fashion Week S/S 2016 menswear editor's picks
-
Milan Fashion Week A/W 2015: menswear collections editor’s picks