Casalgrande, Italy – Milan’s Creative Centre is in Piazza San Marco in the Brera Design District, the city’s beating heart renowned for its charming atmosphere rich in cultural, architectural, and historical contaminations. This space allows Casalgrande Padana to showcase its unique offering and discuss projects with architects, interior designers, planners, and researchers. It’s a place where ideas, experiences, and projects can be shared, unlocking creativity and innovation.
In Piazza San Marco 1, the new 250 square metres space is in a building designed between 1969 and 1971 by Vico Magistretti. This mixed-use complex in the heart of Brera occupies a block between via Solferino, via Pontaccio, via Ancona, and Piazza San Marco. It’s an iconic example of early ‘70s Milanese architecture, combining tradition and a contemporary touch that stands out for its dark red façades and white pillars and structural elements. The pitched roofs that follow the L-shaped plan are interrupted by a tower set back from the roof eaves, ending in an effective system of suspended loggias.
Casalgrande Padana’s Creative Centres are open to industry professionals and go beyond the traditional idea of a showroom. They are more like a crossroads between the world of ceramics and architecture. These centres are a huge success for Casalgrande Padana. The first one was opened at the Casalgrande headquarters. Soon after, the second one was added to expand the company’s showroom. The third Creative Centre opened in Rome was particularly significant because it opened Casa Baldi – the iconic house designed by the renowned architect Paolo Portoghesi and built between 1959 and 1961 – to the community of architects and designers; in recent years, other Creative Centres have been opened outside Italy, in Budapest (Hungary) and Lyon (France).
Creative Centres host architecture, design, and production initiatives, combining exhibitions, communication, and technical information. More importantly, they tell the many stories around the collections Casalgrande Padana has created over the years, always revealing something new and surprising
