A Timeless Renovation Takes Center Stage at Milan's Great Arcimboldi Theater

Milan's Arcimboldi Theater is a destination for world-class performing arts. Every year audiences flock to its center stage to watch stories unfold, but during a break in performances, it was time for the spotlight to shine backstage for a complete renovation.

Enter Giulia Pellegrino, an Italian architect and longtime curator of Fuorisalone who dreamt up the ambitious renovation project that invited LAUFEN and 17 other leading architectural firms to execute their visions. During a long period of silence in the city, the visionaries came together to breathe new life into the iconic building for years to come. 

The premise of the renovation was just as unique as the performances on stage. Under the guidance of Pellegrino, the 17 architectural firms including Atelierzero, BDGS with Daniela Volpi, Calvi Ceschia Viganò, DAP Studio, Enrico Scaramellini, and many more agreed to adopt a dressing room and restyle it to create a gallery of rooms with their own personality. With the support of the local arts community, the project involved redesigning the backstage spaces and foyer ahead of the grand re-opening for Milan Design Week. 

For the special project, LAUFEN was chosen to provide bathroom appliances for the new spaces. The end result was “17 stories to be discovered.” Including the TUTTO TONDO space by RGA Studio which is an extremely small and angular dressing room that has been made soft and welcoming by rounded shapes and delicate colors. For the bathroom, elements from the Sonar collection by LAUFEN were chosen, designed by Patricia Urquiola, with essential and soft lines to create continuity between the environments. The DARKNESS AND LIGHT dressing room, by Park Associati, contrasts a moody, more sensual identity that allows the artist to gather and concentrate before the performance. In the bathroom, elements from the Sonar collection by LAUFEN were also used, the toilet and bidet were suspended to create tension, and a circular mirror by Kartell was included for a touch of brightness. The architect Andrea Viganò comments: "We wanted to create a place where the artist concentrates and therefore must find a harmonious context.”

For LAUFEN, the renovation was not only aesthetically driven but also provided the performers with reliable bathroom fixtures so they can freely express their art in a beautiful setting. The LAUFEN appliances support an atmosphere of calmness, sturdiness, and creativity through high-quality sinks and other bathroom decors. While also supporting each of the 17 designers who achieved their visions and stayed true to their designs. The end result was dressing rooms outfitted with appliances from LAUFEN that are versatile enough to fit the unique styles, but also sophisticated enough for the high-caliber guests. 

Up next in our Icon series, read about the impressive FLUX building in Switzerland.

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