The Molteni & C compound in Giussano, 30km north of Milan, evolves constantly, making it a fitting representation of the furniture behemoth. Home to its HQ and factory since 1934, the compound is also an architectural treasure trove, where Molteni’s creative collaborators have left their marks over the years. Examples include Ron Gilad’s 2014 Glass Cube, which was recently transformed into the Molteni Museum, and Patricia Urquiola’s 2006 Spazio Q alla M (a multimedia centre dedicated to the company’s past and future), as well as a four-storey 1950s showroom, designed by Luca Meda with elements by Aldo Rossi, with whom he often collaborated.

‘The compound is a testament to the history of Molteni & C and the great names of design and architecture that have worked with the company,’ says Molteni’s chief marketing officer Giulia Molteni. 

The entrance to Molteni HQ, with the showroom on the left and the factory straight ahead (Image credit: Stefan Giftthaler)

Molteni & C has now unveiled a new chapter in the compound’s architectural history with a pavilion complex by its creative director, Belgian designer Vincent Van Duysen, adding a hospitality element to the brand experience. The starting point for the design, which is Van Duysen’s first architectural project for Molteni, was Meda and Rossi’s showroom, which is punctuated on one side by a discreet colonnade.

Those columns inspired the pavilion, which is designed to serve as a reception area and restaurant and hospitality space surrounded by cloistered gardens. The ground floor of the showroom has also been redesigned and has since been dubbed the Luca Meda Room, in honour of the designer’s work as Molteni’s creative director from 1968 until his death in 1998. Meda was instrumental in the company’s transformation from being a traditional maker of classic furniture to a global contemporary design brand.

Vincent Van Duysen and Molteni & C: minimalist rigour and Mediterranean flavour

The reception area features an ’Elain’ armchair, ’Cleo’ coffee tables, a ’Paul’ sofa, two ’Yoell’ armchairs and a ’Stripe’ rug, all by Vincent Van Duysen, for Molteni & C (Image credit: Stefan Giftthaler)

When Van Duysen joined the company in 2016, the scope of the collaboration was to merge his minimalist rigour with a Mediterranean flavour, something he has demonstrated over the years with products and interiors. ‘Molteni is interested in seeing its pieces come alive in the context of architecture, placing them within a much broader cultural aura,’ says Van Duysen. ‘This interaction and synergy between architecture and furniture relates to the art of living in a very modern way.’

The designer feels that the new building blends well with the original 1950s architecture. ‘It’s a continuation of that language that I took over in a modern but not obstructive way. It has a lot of respect for the existing building. The extension represents Molteni’s determination to create a holistic, all-round experience.’