Natuzzi Americas Headquarter

High Point, USA
Photo © Aaron Acosta
Photo © Natuzzi Spa
Photo © Matteo Piazza
Photo © Matteo Piazza
Photo © Matteo Piazza
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Photo © Mario Bellini Archive
Architects
Mario Bellini Architects
Year
1998
Client
Natuzzi Americas Inc. USA
Team
Mario Bellini with Giovanna Bonfanti and Giovanni Cappelletti, Collaborators: Matteo Bulli, Edoardo Germani, Marco Piccione, Lim Young Yup, Luigi Vaciago

“The proud prow of a ship just arrived – Mario Bellini notes –. The burnished curve of the bronze is mirrored in the water underneath, shining shell curving upwards.
The dynamic drama of the metal is interrupted by the light irony of a porthole, a big gaping eye looking out onto a new world”.
The triangular shape of the terrain, partially occupied by an existent building, suggested the idea of the ship.
The nucleus of the project turned out to be fecund and capable of channelling diverse elements: the dynamic character of the commissioner, their openness towards new markets, the periodical animation of this gigantic showroom, with its coming and going of goods along the ramp in teak that from the base of the prow leads into the belly of the building.
On the inside, the bright axis of the skylight cuts through the building vertically and ensures a constant orientation.
The space is organised by pillars dressed by the changing light of the birch wood and by the glass walkways that unite the two parts of the buildings.
Birch is used again for the floor, enlivened by outlines of anodised aluminium and inlaid with black iron oxide. On the roof there is a large gardenterrace with its red lacquered wood poles.

Related Projects

  • Shanghai Suhe MixC World
    KOKAISTUDIOS
  • Welcome to the Stage!
    Kjellander Sjöberg
  • Hovering Kan-Too – Great Bay Area Center Showroom
    Wutopia Lab
  • Stockwell-Rodríguez Residence
    Belmont Freeman Architects
  • Haunsbergstraße | 1. Preis
    Architektinnen Schremmer.Jell ZT GmbH

Magazine

Other Projects by Mario Bellini Architects

New Museum, of the Forum "Antiquarium"
Rome, Italy
Fiumicino Airport "Terminal T3"
Rome, Italy
Museum of the City of Bologna
Bologna, Italy
Taipei Pop Music Center
"Casa Altra"
Düsseldorf, Germany