10·Corso·Como debuts an interior transformation by 2050+ studio

Photography: Alessandro Saletta – DSL Studio, courtesy of 10·Corso·Como

Capitalising on the buzz of Milan’s fashion week, 10·Corso·Como – recognised as Europe’s first true concept store – has revealed the first phase of its large-scale redesign by interdisciplinary agency 2050+.

Executing the vision of multi-brand, luxury fashion retailer Tiziana Fausti, 10·Corso·Como is set to centre its new concept around the idea of ‘selective archaeology’ – a process which aims to return the spaces to their original early 20th-century character by removing materials and elements accumulated over the years. These industrial design cues meet white, pared-back interiors that lend themselves to the first two renovated spaces: the Gallery and the Project Room.

Rethinking the flow of its interiors, the newly unveiled gallery and exhibition space both feature a series of self-supporting movable walls and modular elements, as well as grandstands set to host cultural talks and events. Described as “micro-architectures”, these additions were introduced to allow more flexible configurations while also maintaining the store’s recognisable style – that of a hybrid ‘Wunderkammer’ (or ‘cabinet of curiosities’). With these changes, the project envisions 10·Corso·Como as an even more efficient platform for cultural exchange, fostering a stronger connection between its multiple disciplines: fashion, design, art, photography, food, and urban nature.

The new Gallery, whose original ring structure now features a double entrance, is currently displaying ‘Happy Birthday Louise Parker’, an exhibition by American artist Roe Ethridge. Designed especially for 10·Corso·Como and curated by Alessandro Rabottini, the exhibition includes thirty iconic pictures and large-format works exhibited for the first time in Italy.

The Project Room is billed an equally innovative hybrid space, with flexibility continuing as an important theme throughout. Aiming to transform the space according to the projects it hosts, current themes in the space include sustainability, activism and human relations, all of which curators intend to develop through further archival research and digital innovation. Also curated by Rabottini, the Project Room is now exhibiting a collection jewellery, rare photos and writings from Italian artist Pietro Consagra, described by Fausti as the “master of Abstractionism”. Following these two spaces, more major renovation works are planned to encompass the courtyard, the shop, the first floor and the terrace, which will be unveiled by the store in instalments over the coming months.