Celebrating 40 years of Armani interior design
The Armani universe is a seductive one – glossed with luxurious simplicity and effortlessly tasteful. From fashion to floral arrangements, Giorgio Armani has put his unmistakable signature on every aspect of a lifestyle only the most discerning and moneyed have access to. This year, visitors to the Armani/ Teatro during the Salone del Mobile were given a privileged peek into this rarefied world with an exhibition entitled The Art of Living.
It showcases the Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio’s most important global projects, including Queen’s Gate Place in London, Harbaa Towers in Tel Aviv, The World Towers in Mumbai, Residences by Armani/Casa in Miami, the Art Residences in Chengdu, China, Maçka Residences in Istanbul, Armani Hotel and San Pietro all’Orto 6 in Milan and the Armani Hotel in Dubai.
Apart from interior design, Armani’s contribution to the world of architecture is well known and his collaborations with architects to realise buildings all over the world has resulted in some significant architectural landmarks. Armani’s famously impeccable taste and predilection for minimalism has shaped the look of his boutiques and his choice of architects reflects this.
The laundry list of renowned architects include Peter Marino for the flagship Madison Avenue store in New York, Claudio Silvestrin for the Place Vêndome store in Paris and Michael Gabbelini for the three-story multi-brand Via Manzoni building in Milan that also houses the Armani Hotel. A special mention must be made about Armani’s collaboration with Pritzker Prize winning Japanese architect, Tadao Ando, who realised the aforementioned Armani/Teatro, an imposing ode to concrete structure where all his shows and presentations are now held.
Recently, Armani also started working with developers, architects and planners to create high-rise buildings in such disverse places as Miami, the Philippines, Mumbai and Beijing. Daniel Libeskind, who is renowned for designing the master plan for the World Trade Center in NYC, is among this select group and has been working with Armani on Century Spire in Manila. The renowned architect summed his experience succinctly: “It’s beautiful, it’s modern, it’s clean, it’s aesthetically pure – it is really fantastic. Working with Armani is working with a very creative soul so it’s not difficult. We often communicate even without words.”
