Six — Milan, Italy
Behind a large doorway on via Scaldasole, just up the road from Milan’s port district of Darsena, Six is the brainchild of Mauro Orlandelli, head of bespoke interior design studio, Forest, who set out to create a ‘holistic container’ that was ‘superior to the sum of its parts’. For this, read ‘concept store’ and for Six, think three, for it is comprised of a gallery, a bistro – called Sixième, naturellement – and what is mystifyingly referred to as a ‘green design boutique’ by Irene Cuzzaniti and which turns out to be a cross between a florists, a ‘conceptual backdrop’ and a shop.
To do so, Orlandelli turned to David Lopez Quincoces and Fanny Bauer Grung, head architects at Milan-based studio, Quincoces-Dragò & Partners (and which is now based in the building). In turn, they worked with that now apparently indispensable architectural accessory, an art director, to come up with the logo and name, as well as with two members of local ‘supergroup’, Nic Cester & The Milano Elettrica, creators of a cocktail bar in nearby Navigli, who here are responsible for the bistro.
Breathlessness aside, Six is a class act. Quincoces and Grung’s industrial, atmospheric approach to the interiors treats indoor and courtyard spaces – both open air and glass-roofed – as a series of spectacular rooms, transforming a space that in the 16th century was a monastery, into a contemporary cross between a museum and a apeakeasy.
While their vision flirts with the austere – think smoke-grey walls, exposed brick and concrete floors – it sets off the scattered design pieces, a mix of the famous and the anonymous, much of which is for sale, as well as Cuzzaniti’s lush swathes of greenery to such perfection, that the final, sophisticated result is far more seductive than its original inhabitants might appreciate.
ADDRESS
Via Scaldasole 7
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Middle East Editor
-
All aboard: Azimut moor a yacht in the heart of Milan
With Azimut's Mooring by the Moon, Michele De Lucchi and AMDL Circle provide insight into the philsophy of the Seadeck Series with an immersive installation at Bagni Misteriosi
By Cristina Kiran Piotti Published
-
A low-energy farmhouse provides a rural escape in North Carolina
This low-energy farmhouse is a net zero architectural re-set for a Californian client, an East Coast relocation for a more engaged and low-key lifestyle
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Objects Are By unite creatives with artisans to create a new world of product design
Milan-based brand Studio Objects Are By is introducing a novel idea to the design process. They're asking: What if you let an artist, an actor or a chef moonlight as a product designer?
By Laura May Todd Published
-
Where to eat in Milan: designers’ favourite haunts
Asked where to eat in Milan, local designers Cristina Celestino, Atelier Biagetti, Studiopepe and Palomba Serafini Associati share their favourite coffee, cocktail, lunch and dinner spots
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
25 Milan pizza spots recommended by the city's designers
Looking for the best pizza in Milan? We map the best spots with help from the city's local designers, curators and creative directors.
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Palazzo Roma embodies the heritage of Roman noblesse
Palazzo Roma, part of the Shedir Collection, boasts eclectic and eccentric interiors by Giampiero Panepinto
By Luke Abrahams Published
-
Trattoria del Ciumbia adds flavour to Milan’s Brera district
Trattoria del Ciumbia, with interiors by Dimorestudio, is hot on Italian specials – from design to pasta
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Odles Lodge pairs chalet minimalism with dramatic mountain views in South Tyrol
Odles Lodge, designed by Asaggio Architects, is a pared-back South Tyrol retreat pulling nature into focus
By Stephanie Gavan Published
-
The Place Firenze is the place to be in Florence
The Place Firenze is a sophisticated hotel offering a front-row seat to Florence’s attractions
By Daven Wu Published
-
Tour Feudi di San Gregorio, a vineyard in Campania, Italy, where wine meets design
Feudi di San Gregorio offers a chance to explore Italian winemaking in surroundings shaped by design and art collaborations
By Maria Cristina Didero Published
-
Spa experiences in superlative surroundings, to revitalise mind and body
These spa experiences offer the ultimate in wellness and relaxation in serene settings around the world
By Sofia de la Cruz Published