Marcolini flagship store

Spoiler alert: this project for the Marcolini Brussels flagship store will not be built, it is nonetheless worth sharing.

For this unique space, we approached our design process as a journey, from the tree to the bean to the bar to Pierre Marcolini’s gourmet creations.
We told this extraordinary travel through the prism of 3 inspiration lines.

1. Obsessively Raw: the raw material & the nobility of the product origins.

The richness of the textures and the generosity of the natural materials constitute the first line of connection, linking the earth of the cocoa trees producing rare beans from Venezuela, Cuba or Mexico and the modern and poetic creations of Pierre Marcolini.
Layers of earth with multiple tones.
Each texture is as unique as each terroir.

The cursor of expression of each material is chosen according to the balance of the whole.

2. The People of Marcolini: the women and men of the House.

The second inspiration, a personal and committed tribute
to the incredible dedication and precious transmission of knowledge generated by the great Marcolini adventure for over 20 years.

Men and women,
Families,
Stories,
Traditions,
Transmission.

A place of exchange.

A particular object materializes this transmission: the central element of the space - the table.

The table is where all the know-how is shared, from cultivation to sales, through creation and processing.

Chocolate experts pass on their knowledge to customers, offering them an olfactory and sometimes gustatory emotion.

Anchoring

the memory

through materials

The marquetry.

Marquetry is a decoration made with wood veneers and various materials (mother-of-pearl, ivory, stone, shagreen, non-ferrous metals, straw, tortoiseshell, and bone), cut according to a drawing and glued on a support (furniture, woodwork, or painting).

This decorative technique spread quickly in the ancient world and is still used today.

A fresco.

The table is a tribute to these places and people with unique know-how, a powerful link between the origin and the product. The plantations of Baracoa, Cuba, a region of very exclusive ancient cocoa cultures inspired us this specific work.

3. Season of Joy: beauty in every moment of the year.

Winter, summer, day, night, during an event, or during a particular time - Adaptability is the third inspiration to stage Pierre Marcolini's bold creations.

Light, shadows, aromas, and textures are all parameters we played with to surprise and delight in all circumstances.

Seasonality through visual sensation.