The ground floor of a tower built in the 60s and the existing IVM showroom – placed inside an industrial building partially covered with sheds – have to be joined to create a continuous space designed for the furniture’s exhibition plus new functions the client would like to introduce.The project is based on the idea of keeping the showroom area neutral and basic, while focusing on a few strategic parts that could activate the new space.

The showroom will display the office furniture produced by IVM and their glass partition systems, which means that our intervention has to coexist with these elements; part of the design process has been developed and discussed with the IVM studio, in order to achieve a balance and to incorporate the glass systems in the new layout. The passage, a central element in the tower, and a client friendly area, are the main tasks of Mar’s project. 

The strategy is to allow a fluid circulation and to join the two spaces by means of a new element that articulates a sequence from the main entrance, the old showroom and eventually the tower.
A continuous curved glass wall wraps the walls and shafts that divide the two buildings, and generates the new connection. As it is completely visible from the outside, it also creates a clear connection with the street opposite and the passers-by. It’s conceived as a display wall representing the identity of the brand. The double clear glass with an inner white diffuser film is enlightened from the back by a series of horizontal led strips. A serigraphed film has been applied on the entire surface. The serigraphy is a specific project by Mar and büro for IVM. It’s based on 25mm circles with the IVM logo that generate a wider pattern made of IVM logos of different dimensions that produce a dynamic rhythm. The passage is characterized by the image of a world map, where small red dots indicate all the IVM showrooms worldwide.

The connected tower ground floor is a 14x14m space characterized only by the presence of a central square column positioned at 45°. According to the showroom program, two rectangular glass rooms have been placed there leaving a circulation space all around and a gap in-between with the column in its centre. Instead of hiding the structure, we have tried to make its presence stronger, yet working with a camouflage mode. The column has been completely covered by lush vegetation that creates quite a singular effect in the abstract white space of the showroom.

The third issue of the project was focused on was developed like a “project in the project”. The initial request of having a client friendly area was carried out by realizing what today is the Green Point, a new concept space that represents the sustainable philosophy of the company and the dialogue with its clients. The Green Point is conceived like a client friendly area, a space of communication and gathering inside the showroom; therefore it is also conceived as an independent project to be developed in other contexts. Its main elements are a wooden counter table, spread coffee tables with chairs, and a big light ring made of hanging lamps that defines the space. 

Together with other complements, these pieces of furniture designed by MAR have been prototyped and produced for the first Green Point in the head IVM Showroom.