Following the style of minimal display units, the project for the megastore in Piazza Italia in Rimini presents essential lines and surfaces and ethereal colour and material patterns with the precise aim of highlighting the interior design. The first floor of the Le Befane shopping centre in Rimini thus features an approx. 2,000 sq m bright and welcoming environment. In this context, the floor takes on great importance as a horizontal interface between the transit areas (the gallery overlooking the circular plaza below) and the actual sales points.

To define this surface, Grottini Shopsystems, appointed to design all the new sales points on a “turnkey” basis, chose the tiles of the Piemme Absolute series. In this case, the elegant ivory colour was preferred in the 60×60 cm lapped version, lightly polished to recreate that soft alternation of light and shadow able to provide covered surfaces with particular suggestions and a pinch of glamour. This full-body coloured porcelain stoneware was chosen by the designers for all the new sales points (including in Milan and Florence), according to a design philosophy aimed at producing a brand image easily recognizable throughout the country.

At the same time, Piemme materials also play an important technical role and make the surface resistant to the stresses produced by a highly-trafficked area. The slabs are positioned alongside one another with a minimum joint of the same colour, thereby obtaining an almost uniform surface, a single covering with graphics that appear random and never repetitive. The artificial interior lighting is mainly provided by spotlights recessed in the false ceiling and which increase the light and shadow effect already produced by the material effect of the porcelain stoneware slabs.

Architect: Grottini Shopsystems – Client: Piazza Italia megastore, Rimini – Series: Piemmegres, Absolute