- Art & Design
- Architecture & development
After a career of 34 years, renowned architect Vincent Van Duysen has a lot of astonishing work on his record of achievements. Yet, he never ceases to amaze. With this Molteni&C Pavilion, he delights artistic souls by creating a very thoughtful concept where he exhibits design as sculptures. Moreover, he keeps a very interesting balance between concrete and greenery...
Without a doubt, you can see that Vincent Van Duysen has been swirling his architectural stardust over hundreds of projects for several decades when you study his work. A project with a VVD stamp exudes quality and knowledge. With his own studio and some 30 experts, he focuses on product design for numerous international brands and on commercial to large-scale architectural projects. In the latter, he concentrates mainly on high-quality housing. The fusion of architecture, interior design and product design within his work is not arbitrary: from the very beginning, harmony between the three has been his driving force. However, his secret recipe extends beyond that: the studio is known for using pure and tactile materials that translate into sleek, timeless designs. Respect for context and tradition and the environment go hand in hand with an eye for functionality and great comfort. 
The starting shot that made Van Duysen creative director of the Italian brands Molteni&C and Dada, meatn that he reshaped their global image. With his studio as protagonist, he created flagship stores, exhibition stands and new products for the brands. And so it happened with the Molteni&C Pavilion. The concept of the beautiful pavilion arose from the idea 'to continue the dialogue between different domestic environments'. He achieved this visually by, on the one hand, transforming the ground floor, where the head office is located, by creating a linear redevelopment system, more specifically by erecting a new courtyard. With a ground plan similar to a monastery, it leads guests from the entrance to the heart of the corporate showroom. On the other hand, it is located between two large horizontal elements made of concrete: the floor and ceiling embrace the whole concept. By working with enormous glass surfaces, the designer manages to keep the pavilion airy. Even more, by creating colonnades, he emphasises the connection with the garden where he places the very latest outdoor series and future collections as sculptures. He connects all this with green elements, which brighten up the whole.
The floor and ceiling embrace the whole concept.
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Photography by Max Zambelli & DSL Studio
Text by Emma Verstappen