Share this on

Friends for life

Edie Cohen -- Interior Design, 3/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

Antonio Citterio and Giorgio Busnelli share a long history. "We've been friends since we were 14-year-olds on Vespas," says Busnelli, who's now president and CEO of B&B Italia. His 30-year professional relationship with Citterio is responsible for much of B&B's look—in terms of both furniture and showrooms designed by Antonio Citterio and Partners. The latest example is a 6,400-square-foot Munich location. Like most of Citterio's projects, it has a simplicity that be- lies the complexity behind.

The site, the ground level of a 1950's building, formerly housed an Internet company. Citterio had to clear the place out to allow for the flexibility he's made a staple of B&B merchandising. Just an enclosed mezzanine stayed, 13 feet shorter and opened up with a balustrade of glass panels coated in a reflective silver. The manager's mezzanine office offers a bird's-eye view of the showroom while serving as a canopy for the Maxalto collection displayed below.

Citterio painted the 17-foot ceiling black and dropped a portion by 4 feet to conceal new air-conditioning. The only other scenery—besides the products—consists of fabric or plastic scrims suspended from tracks. "Leaving the envelope plain makes it easier to change the collections," Citterio explains.

Although previous B&B showrooms have limestone flooring, he opted for 2-by-3-foot porcelain tiles in a similar color here. Maintenance is a snap.

Clockwise from top left: One of Antonio Citterio's recent contributions to B&B Italia's product line, Arne sofas combine velvet upholstery and aluminum legs. In the Munich showroom's Maxalto section, set beneath the manager's office, the linen-covered sofa and oak table and chairs are all by Citterio. Mario Bellini designed the love seat that backs up to the new glass storefront. An Ettore Sottsass table lamp has a ceramic base and glass shade. Paolo Piva's sofa, upholstered in a cotton-linen blend, sits in front of printed plastic panels.

SEATING, PILLOWS, TABLES, TABLE LAMP: BB ITALIA. FLOOR LAMPS: FLOS. LIGHTING CONSULTANT: METIS LIGHTING. ARCHITECTURAL CONSULTANT: BHMLER EINRICHTUNGSHAUS.