So this particular showroom has no sales
function. No, it was not conceived as a com-
mercial space. The showroom is open to the
public, but visitors can’t buy any of the prod-
ucts on display, because we sell exclusively
through our network of flagship stores –
over 34 now, located worldwide – as well
as through our authorized dealers. The new
showroom is more of a meeting place where
you can get to know the company, its collec-
tions and the people who work with us.How have you expressed Flexform’s brand
DNA in the redesigned showroom? It’s calm,
harmonious and very inspirational, with a
flow of ambiences created to showcase the
products and to demonstrate the kind of
effortless, understated approach the com-
pany is known for.
The use of neutral tones and materi-
als, such as travertine and dark wood, makes
for an unobtrusive setting and highlights
the colours and textures of Flexform’s sofas
and armchairs. A pastel palette includes
yellow, bordeaux and subtler tones such
as beige and grey.The showroom is spread over three floors- how does this affect the visitor’s journey?
The ground floor is dedicated to the display
of different arrangements that show how
easy it is to mix products from our extensive
Flexform collection. A generous area occu-
pied by the Mood collections has a more
sophisticated and decorative appeal.
The first floor is reserved for some
iconic pieces from the company collection,
such as the Magister sofa and the A.B.C.
armchair. The top floor has meeting rooms
that can accommodate groups of various
sizes, as well as a kitchen corner for the
catering service.
How does the digital age impact the show-
room? The showroom offers a ‘real’ brand
experience as opposed to a digital one.
Flexform is very active on social media, but
you can’t compare what you see online to
the physical experience of sitting comforta-
bly in one of our sofas, feeling the texture of
the fabric or leather upholstery cover. Some
qualities still need to be experienced for
real. A digital version cannot replace that.What unites Flexform’s heritage with your
forward-driven direction, and how does the
showroom express that duality? The best
adjective to describe Flexform is ‘timeless’.
Our showroom concept goes beyond trends
and fads. A theme of design consistency runs
through our whole collection, making it pos-
sible for customers to pair a sofa launched
last April with an armchair designed
ten years ago.
In terms of design, the showroom
concept follows our guidelines for Flexform
stands and flagship stores. All the materi-
als – from the travertine floors and walls
to the dark wooden ceilings – are directly
connected to the image of the company. We
chose them together with architect Antonio
Citterio, with whom Flexform has been col-
laborating for over 40 years.Tell us about the showroom’s long history.
The building was commissioned by the com-
pany in 1959, and the ground floor was used
as a company showroom. The upper floors
became family apartments – the typical Ital-
ian way of marrying home and work.
We allocated more space to the new
showroom but kept the most outstanding
architectural features of the original build-
ing, preserving the low polygonal structure
and the jardin d’hiver.What is the most common mistake brands
make with showrooms? Probably just
exploiting the ‘display’ function of the
showroom and neglecting the fact that visi-
tors want to see more than just a beautiful
collection.Will you apply this approach to other
showrooms? Certainly. The design and
concept are the models for our future flag-
ship stores, although in each case we will
consider the scale of the location and its
particular culture.●
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All the materials – from the travertine
floors and walls, to the dark wooden
ceilings – were chosen together with
architect Antonio Citterio.Originally designed in 1959 by Gigi Radice
in collaboration with Gino Colombo,
Flexform’s Meda showroom, now
remodelled, is intended as a meeting hub.FLEXFORM X FRAME 127